ACS NEWS
WAGESSalaries adjusted for inflation resumed their long-term downward trend in 2014. Salaries, $ thousands 100
MEDIAN BASE SALARIESIndustry and government salaries are far higher than those in academia. All chemists
◼ Current dollars ◼ Constant dollars
$93,000
Male
$100,000
Female
$79,400
90 $108,000
Industry Government
$106,100
Academia
80
$74,300
Bachelor’s
70 2004
$72,000
Master’s
06
08
10
12
14
NOTE: Median annual base salaries for chemists employed full-time as of March 1 each year. SOURCES: Annual ACS salary and employment surveys, Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Price Index data)
$85,000
Ph.D.
$102,000
“Salaries for ACS member chemists in the U.S. have not kept up with inflation and therefore continue to lose ground in terms of buying power.”
52% 31%
... who are female:
UNEMPLOYMENTChemists and other college graduates fare significantly better than the broader U.S. population. Percent unemployment
Bachelor’s Industry
$75,000
Government
$73,400
Academia
ACS members in the U.S. workforce ... ... who work in industry:
10 8
$44,000
6
Master’s Industry
4
$92,000
Government insufficent data Academia
2
$58,300
0 2004
Ph.D. Industry
$126,000
Government
$116,300
Academia
$76,900
NOTE: Median annual base salaries for chemists employed full-time as of March 1, 2014. SOURCE: ACS salary and employment survey 2014
06
08
10
12
14
◼ U.S. population ◼ Chemists ◼ U.S. population, college graduates NOTE: Data are for March each year and exclude those fully retired or otherwise not seeking employment. U.S. population data are for ages 25 and older. SOURCES: Annual ACS salary and employment surveys, Bureau of Labor Statistics
2014 SALARIES & EMPLOYMENT Unemployment fell but SALARIES DIDN’T BUDGE, according to survey of ACS members SOPHIE L. ROVNER, C&EN WASHINGTON UNEMPLOYMENT IS EASING in the U.S.
economy as a whole, and that trend is reflected in the chemical sector, according to the latest figures compiled by the American Chemical Society. “The unemployment rate of our domestic chemistry workforce is once again under 3.0%, as it was prior to the economic downturn of 2008–09,” notes Elizabeth C. McGaha, assistant director of ACS’s Research & Brand Strategy (RBS) department, which collects the data. “It’s good news that the drop in unemployment isn’t solely related to people taking part-time or postdoctoral work,” says Steven Meyers, assistant director of ACS’s Career & Professional Advancement department. Instead, the decrease in the
fraction of ACS member chemists who are actively seeking work is “attributable to growth in full-time employment, which suggests that positions with at least 35 hours of work per week are absorbing those individuals transitioning into the workforce.” Unfortunately, the improving jobs situation hasn’t bolstered wages: “Salaries have still not begun to rebound to prerecession levels,” McGaha says. Even worse, “salaries for ACS member chemists in the U.S. have not kept up with inflation and therefore continue to lose ground in terms of buying power. While this is not unique to the chemical labor market, it is still a concern.” These findings come from the 2014 Comprehensive Salary & Employment C EN.ACS.ORG
68
S E PTE M BE R 1 , 20 14
Survey of ACS members in the workforce, which ran from March through early May this year. RBS conducted and analyzed the survey in a project headed by Gareth S. Edwards and guided by the ACS Committee on Economic & Professional Affairs. The survey was sent to a random sample of almost 37,000 ACS members under the age of 70. The sample excluded student, emeritus, and retired members, as well as members living outside the U.S. The survey recipients returned nearly 8,400 complete responses, for a response rate of 23%. The survey asked members about their status as of March 1, 2014. Some of the survey results reported in this article are based on answers from all respondents; those
obscures wide variability linked to degree We know that some individuals are unfortudata shed light on the demographics of level and experience. For example, the nately in this regrettable situation; we just the ACS membership as a whole. Other resociety conducts a separate survey of new don’t have a way to measure how large their ported results focus on ACS members who chemistry graduates that shows that the numbers are.” are in the chemical workforce and exclude unemployment rate for students who For chemists whose data are captured members who work in other fields, such as graduated between July 2012 and June 2013 by ACS, the overall unemployment rate chemical engineering, business adminishas risen to 14.9% (C&EN, June tration, computer science, and 2, page 28). “As a rule,” Meyers law. In each table in this article, says, “those with more experithe headline and footnote indiSALARIES OF CHEMISTS ence and additional degrees cate the group whose data are Salaries slipped in several categories tend to have better outcomes in presented. In some cases, data any job search.” differ among tables because 2013–14 a That statement is borne out some respondents didn’t an$ THOUSANDS 2013 2014 $ CHANGE % CHANGE by data from the comprehensive swer all the questions. ALL $96.0 $95.0 -$1.0 -1.0% BY DEGREE survey. Just 2.2% of ACS memSome 91.9% of chemists who Bachelor's 75.0 74.9 -0.1 -0.1 ber chemists with Ph.D.s—who responded to this year’s survey Master's 87.0 85.8 -1.2 -1.4 account for roughly two-thirds indicated they were employed Ph.D. 104.0 103.0 -1.0 -1.0 of survey respondents—are full-time, the highest level in BY GENDER seeking employment, down six years. Over the past decade, Men 102.0 102.0 0.0 0.0 from 3.0% a year ago. But among full-time employment peaked Women 80.1 80.4 0.3 0.4 BY EMPLOYER chemists with a master’s or bachat 92.5% in 2008—early in the Industry 109.8 110.0 0.2 0.2 elor’s degree (categories that Great Recession—and botGovernment 106.4 108.0 1.6 1.5 each account for about half of tomed out at 88.1% in 2010. Academia 75.0 75.0 0.0 0.0 the remaining survey responses), Only 2.8% of chemists were BY CITIZENSHIP some 4.6% and 4.2%, respectiveworking part-time as of March, Native born 95.0 93.0 -2.0 -2.1 ly, are unemployed and looking compared with 3.9% in 2008 as Naturalized 109.0 117.0 8.0 7.3 for a job. Those figures stood at well as in 2010, the most recent Permanent resident 88.2 94.4 6.2 7.0 Other visa 71.0 72.0 1.0 1.4 4.7% and 4.6% last year. peak year. BY ETHNICITY The fraction of responding Hispanic 94.1 89.5 -4.6 -4.9 chemists working in postdoctorDESPITE THE DISCREPANCY BY AGE al positions has also bounced up in the extent of unemployment, 20–29 53.5 54.0 0.5 0.9 and down. After topping out at Ph.D.s are sharing the same fate 30–39 75.4 75.8 0.4 0.5 4.2% in 2010, the fraction dipped as their colleagues in terms of 40–49 96.0 96.3 0.3 0.3 50–59 110.0 112.2 2.2 2.0 to 1.9% in 2011, then rose again wage increases. For all three 60–69 111.5 115.0 3.5 3.1 before settling at 2.3% this year. degree levels, median wages this The fraction of chemists who March were essentially the same NOTE: Median annual base salaries for chemists who were employed full-time as of March 1 of each year and who had not changed jobs over the prior year. a Revised. were unemployed but looking as last year. The median salary SOURCES: Annual ACS salary and employment surveys for a job maxed out at 4.6% in for chemists with a doctorate 2011 and has now receded to was $102,000, for those with a 2.9%, the lowest level since master’s degree was $85,000, 2008, when the rate was 2.3%. and for those with a bachelor’s EMPLOYMENT STATUS That trend seems reassuring, degree was $72,000 (see salary OF CHEMISTS although “it is certainly possible trends table on page 71). Full-time employment reached highest level in six years that small numbers of very longBut the story gets worse: OTHER THAN FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT term unemployed chemical sciThese findings are stated in soUNEMPLOYED/ entists and engineers have given called current dollars, and thereSEEKING FULL-TIME PART-TIME POSTDOC EMPLOYMENT SUBTOTAL up on the job search or moved fore don’t account for changes 2004 90.9% 3.6% 1.9% 3.6% 9.1% into non-chemistry-related in the cost of living. Calculating 2005 90.8 4.1 2.0 3.1 9.2 fields” and therefore don’t show salaries in constant dollars—a 2006 91.3 3.4 2.3 3.0 8.7 up in the numbers, Meyers says. practice that eliminates the ef2007 92.3 3.6 1.7 2.4 7.7 “Those who have been out of fects of inflation—shows that 2008 92.5 3.9 1.3 2.3 7.5 work for a while and have few chemists at all degree levels 2009 90.3 3.2 2.5 3.9 9.6 resources to receive further 2010 88.1 3.9 4.2 3.8 11.9 continue to lose ground with re2011 89.7 3.7 1.9 4.6 10.3 education or training will evenspect to the rising cost of living. 2012 90.0 3.1 2.6 4.2 10.0 tually take a nonideal position Between 2013 and 2014, sala2013 91.1 2.7 2.7 3.5 8.9 that at least keeps a paycheck ries adjusted for inflation fell 2014 91.9 2.8 2.3 2.9 8.0 coming in, even if it means being 1.5% for each of the three degree NOTE: Employment of chemists as of March 1 of each year. Excludes those fully retired underemployed. Once that haplevels. Looking at the data in or otherwise not seeking employment. Totals may not add to 100% because of rounding. pens, it becomes more difficult the longer term highlights stark SOURCES: Annual ACS salary and employment surveys to reenter the chemistry market. trends in chemists’ purchasing CEN.ACS.ORG
69
S E PTE M BE R 1 , 20 14
ACS NEWS
sector, engineers made a median salary that power. Compared with a decade ago, mewas 8.1% above the pay of chemists. dian salaries have shrunk 11.7% for Ph.D.s, In terms of fields of chemistry, organic, 6.8% for chemists with M.S. degrees, and DATA ONLINE analytical, and physical chemistry are 7.9% for those with bachelor’s degrees, in once again the leading sectors in which terms of constant dollars. employed ACS members who responded Reverting to current dollars, and limiting More results from the ACS salary to the survey earned their highest degree. the pool to chemists working full-time who and employment survey—including These subjects accounted for 21.8%, 11.3%, had not changed jobs during the prior year, interactive graphics—can be found at and 11.1%, respectively, of employed remedian salaries fell 0.1% for bachelor’s-levhttp://cenm.ag/2014salary. spondents’ terminal degrees. Men earned el chemists, 1.4% for those with a master’s ACS members can obtain further the majority of the terminal degrees in degree, and 1.0% for Ph.D.s between 2013 information about salaries and most fields, but women members earned and 2014. These declines don’t mean that employment at www.acs.org/salary. 50% or more of the terminal degrees in a salaries of individual chemists are being Resources on the website include the few subjects, including chemical education. cut, Edwards explains. Instead, the declines ACS Salary Calculator and the ACS Work specialties don’t always align with arise because a different of pool of responEmployment Dashboard. Members chosen degree field. The most popular work dents answers the survey each year, and the can use the calculator to find salary specialties are analytical chemistry, employmedian salaries of this year’s pool are lower data for specific categories of chemists ing 14.5% of ACS members, followed by orthan those of last year’s respondents, reby using filters such as degree level, ganic chemistry at 11.0%. Chemical educavealing overall salary trends for chemists. years since earning a degree, field, tion at 8.2% and medicinal and pharmaceuMany other dissimilarities emerge when and other factors. The dashboard tical chemistry at 8.1% are the other sectors the ACS survey responses are broken into provides highlights of survey results, that employ a sizable fraction of members. other subgroups. For instance, the results including salary; employment status; Chemical education and general chemistry show that industry and government continand demographic data broken down by are the only fields in which women memue to pay chemists far better than academia, year, employer category, degree level, bers hold more than 40% of the jobs. on average. Approximately half of respondand geographic region. ing member chemists work in industry; their Career resources for unemployed median pay in March was $108,000. Less OVER THE PAST few years, employment of ACS members can be found at www. than 10% work in government, and they ACS members has risen in agricultural and acs.org/unemployed. The society also made a median salary of $106,100. By confood chemistry as well as specialty and fine offers career consulting and other trast, the median salary for academics, who chemicals and coatings, paints, and inks, services for members at www.acs.org/ account for most of the remainder of the Meyers says. “These areas of growth have careernavigator. responding chemists, was a mere $74,300. made up for some of the continued losses in Large differences also the pharmaceutical and medishow up in other subcategocal device industries,” he adds. ACS MEMBERS BY HIGHEST DEGREE ries. For example, male chem“Another area of encouraging Apart from gender, diversity increased with degree level ists reported a median saloutlook is the service sector, ary of $100,000 as of March, where we’ve seen increases in BACHELOR’S MASTER’S PH.D. TOTAL whereas women reported a the year-over-year numbers BY GENDER median salary of $79,400. in analytical testing and other Men 64.2% 59.5% 72.4% 69.2% There’s a similarly wide professional services related Women 35.8 40.5 27.6 30.8 gap between the pay of chemto science, engineering, and BY EMPLOYER ists and chemical engineers. the law.” Industry 83.4 67.2 42.2 52.3 As of this March, the median The ACS survey collects Government 7.8 8.2 7.4 7.5 Academia 7.5 22.9 49.2 38.9 salary for chemical engineers additional information Self-employed 1.3 1.7 1.2 1.3 who are members of ACS was beyond salary and employBY CITIZENSHIP $114,900—some 23.5% higher ment status. For instance, Native born 94.8 89.1 74.1 79.5 than the median salary for responses indicate that 30.8% Naturalized 4.1 7.2 13.6 11.2 chemists. The gulf between of members are women. Some Permanent resident 0.9 2.8 9.3 7.0 engineers and chemists is 85.6% of members are white, Other visa 0.2 0.9 3.0 2.3 BY RACE most striking for the youngand 9.7% are Asian. And 79.5% American Indian 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.2 est workers. In the 20–29 age are native born, whereas 11.2% Asian 2.6 5.9 12.1 9.7 group, median pay for chemiare naturalized citizens. Black 2.8 2.6 2.0 2.2 cal engineers was 44.0% highEach year, the survey also White 91.0 88.4 83.8 85.6 er than that for chemists. includes a group of topical Other 3.3 2.7 1.9 2.2 The disparity is also particquestions; this time, those BY ETHNICITY ularly large in academia, where questions focused on health Hispanic 4.2 3.4 3.5 3.6 chemical engineers earned care benefits. “By and large, NOTE: Data for ACS members as of March 1, 2014. Totals may not add to 100% because of 34.6% more than chemists. In ACS members working in the rounding. SOURCE: ACS salary and employment survey 2014 industry, the difference was domestic labor market are 11.1%, and in the government covered by health insurance,” C EN.ACS.ORG
70
S E PTE M BE R 1 , 20 14
McGaha says. “While that’s very good news, about one-third of ACS member chemists have experienced changes in their coverage due to recent legislation, resulting most often in higher costs and less coverage.” LOOKING AHEAD, the employment situa-
tion for chemists seems promising. According to the American Chemistry Council, the year-over-year change in the chemistry production outlook for countries in the developed world is 2.4% for 2014 and at least 3.8% for the foreseeable future, after growth of less than a percent in the past three years, Meyers says. “Production ramping up in the chemical enterprise is translating into reductions in the number of job seekers, and if ACC’s forecast holds true,
ing with colleagues across a diverse set of functions. These experiences can help employees do their job better, learn where their institution and industry are headed, and build a portfolio of relevant skills. “Many employers are also seeking individuals with experience working across borders,” Meyers says. “This doesn’t mean that a chemist needs to spend time working or schooling abroad—although that may help. It means that experience collaborating with varied cultures and seeing issues from the viewpoints of others is very desirable to employers.” Oftentimes, he adds, “many people have the same base skill set, so it is the small differences in experience and execution that make a candidate stand out.” ◾
these employment trends should continue.” Meyers suggests that chemists can improve their chances of landing a job by building their networks, improving their CVs, working on their search strategies, and managing their online presence. “Before it becomes possible to showcase your technical prowess, you must first sell yourself to get the hiring manager to pay attention to what you have to say,” he explains. And new graduates can “stand out from among the crowd of job seekers by showing that they have hands-on research or work experience beyond what was assigned in the classroom,” Meyers advises. He also recommends continuing education and training to “remain germane to the careers of the future,” as well as work-
SALARY TRENDS FOR CHEMISTS
Removing the effects of inflation shows that salaries for many chemists are much lower now than they were a decade ago $ THOUSANDS
BACHELOR’S CURRENT $ CONSTANT $
2004 $62.0 $62.0 2005 63.0 61.1 2006 65.2 61.2 2007 69.7 63.6 2008 73.0 64.1 2009 66.7 58.8 2010 69.8 60.1 2011 72.0 60.4 2012 73.9 60.4 2013 72.0 58.0 2014 72.0 57.1 AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY CHANGE 2013–14 2004–14
0.0% 1.5
-1.5% -0.8
MASTER’S CURRENT $ CONSTANT $
$72.3 74.0 77.5 80.0 82.0 81.0 80.0 85.0 85.0 85.0 85.0 0.0% 1.6
$72.3 71.7 72.7 73.0 72.0 71.4 68.9 71.3 69.4 68.4 67.4 -1.5% -0.7
CURRENT $
PH.D. CONSTANT $
$91.6 93.0 95.0 96.7 101.0 100.0 98.0 102.0 100.6 102.0 102.0
ALL CHEMISTS CURRENT $ CONSTANT $
$91.6 90.2 89.1 88.2 88.6 88.1 84.4 85.5 82.2 82.1 80.9
0.0% 1.1
$82.0 83.0 85.0 88.0 93.0 90.0 89.0 93.0 92.0 94.0 93.0
-1.5% -1.2
-1.1% 1.3
$82.0 80.5 79.7 80.3 81.6 79.3 76.6 78.0 75.2 75.7 73.8 -2.5% -1.1
NOTE: Median annual base salaries for chemists employed full-time as of March 1 of each year. Consumer Price Index rose 1.5% from March 2013 to March 2014 and an average of 2.3% annually from March 2004 to March 2014. Constant dollars are calculated using 2004 as the base year. SOURCES: Annual ACS salary and employment surveys, Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Price Index data)
INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTS’ SALARIES BY EXPERIENCE AND GENDER
Women’s salaries surpassed men’s for chemists who earned their bachelor’s degree or Ph.D. five to nine years ago YEARS SINCE BACHELOR’S DEGREE
2–4 5–9 10–14 15–19 20–24 25–29 30–34 35–39 40 or more
BACHELOR’S (IN THOUSANDS) WOMEN AS % MEN WOMEN OF MEN
$50.0 57.8 68.0 82.0 85.5 103.0 97.8 105.3 106.1
$43.1 60.0 63.1 81.5 81.1 87.4 92.0 106.5 id
86% 104 93 99 95 85 94 101 na
MASTER’S (IN THOUSANDS) MEN WOMEN
id $73.0 81.5 96.3 96.0 113.0 112.0 111.5 124.5
id $64.0 73.0 82.5 94.0 95.5 101.2 108.0 id
WOMEN AS % OF MEN
na 88% 90 86 98 85 90 97 na
PH.D. (IN THOUSANDS) MEN WOMEN
na $83.0 100.0 118.0 130.0 137.8 143.0 147.0 147.8
WOMEN AS % OF MEN
na $92.0 99.9 113.5 133.5 135.0 129.2 139.0 94.3
NOTE: Median annual base salaries for industrial chemists employed full-time as of March 1, 2014. id = insufficient data. na = not applicable. SOURCE: ACS salary and employment survey 2014
CEN.ACS.ORG
71
S E PTE M BE R 1 , 20 14
na 111% 100 96 103 98 90 95 64
ACS MEMBERS IN THE WORKFORCE Ph.D.s and those working in academe continued to increase their share of membership 1995
BY DEGREE Bachelor's Master's Ph.D. BY GENDER Men Women BY EMPLOYER Industry Government Academia Self-employed BY CITIZENSHIP Native born Naturalized Permanent resident Other visa BY RACE American Indian Asian Black White Other BY ETHNICITY Hispanic MEDIAN AGE (YEARS)
2000
2005
2010
2012
2013
24.3% 22.1% 16.9 17.4 58.8 60.5
19.9% 17.0 63.1
17.7% 17.9 64.4
17.1% 16.6 66.3
17.0% 15.9% 15.6 14.6 67.3 69.5
78.5 21.5
74.9 25.1
71.5 28.5
70.7 29.3
70.2 29.8
75.8 24.2
2014
69.2 30.8
65.5 7.9 25.1 1.4
64.7 6.9 26.4 2.0
62.0 7.4 28.8 1.8
52.7 7.3 32.1 7.9
56.2 7.4 34.9 1.6
54.3 7.6 36.5 1.6
52.3 7.5 38.9 1.3
82.3 8.5 7.1 2.1
79.5 10.2 6.9 3.4
79.8 10.2 6.5 3.5
76.0 13.1 8.0 3.0
78.2 11.4 7.2 3.2
79.9 10.9 6.9 2.4
79.5 11.2 7.0 2.3
0.2 10.3 1.4 85.8 2.3
0.2 11.1 1.9 85.5 1.3
0.2 10.9 1.9 85.8 1.2
0.2 12.8 2.2 81.0 3.8
0.3 10.9 2.4 83.4 2.9
0.2 10.1 2.5 85.3 1.9
0.2 9.7 2.2 85.6 2.2
2.3
2.5
2.6
3.3
3.4
3.7
3.6
43.3
44.7
47.0
49.0
48.0
48.0
48.0
NOTE: Data for ACS members as of March 1 of each year. Totals may not add to 100% because of rounding. SOURCES: ACS censuses, annual ACS salary and employment surveys
ENGINEERS AND CHEMISTS Only for Ph.D.s did chemists’ salaries come anywhere near engineers’ $ THOUSANDS
ALL BY DEGREE Bachelor's Master's Ph.D. BY EMPLOYER Industry Government Academia BY AGE 20–29 30–39 40–49 50–59 60–69
CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
CHEMISTS
$114.9
$93.0
81%
97.5 120.0 118.1
72.0 85.0 102.0
74 71 86
120.0 114.7 100.0
108.0 106.1 74.3
90 93 74
75.0 97.3 117.0 137.1 136.5
52.1 75.1 96.2 112.0 114.0
69 77 82 82 84
NOTE: Median annual base salaries as of March 1, 2014. SOURCE: ACS salary and employment survey 2014
ACADEMIC SALARIES BY GENDER Salaries of women surpassed those of men in several categories
$ THOUSANDS
BACHELOR'S DEGREE-GRANTING SCHOOLS Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor MASTER'S DEGREE-GRANTING SCHOOLS Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor PH.D.-GRANTING SCHOOLS Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor
NINE- TO 10-MONTH CONTRACTS WOMEN AS MEN WOMEN % OF MEN
$84.6 65.6 56.0
$76.8 63.0 53.8
94.9 70.8 64.5
99.6 76.5 60.0
105 108 93
133.0 86.5 77.4
120.0 91.3 79.0
90 106 102
NOTE: Median salaries for ACS members in academe as of March 1, 2014. SOURCE: ACS salary and employment survey 2014
91% 96 96
CHEMISTS AS % OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
ACS MEMBERS BY DISCIPLINE AND GENDER Gender balance came closest in education jobs BY HIGHEST DEGREE DISCIPLINE
TOTAL
Agricultural/food chemistry Analytical chemistry Biochemistry Biotechnology Chemical education Chemical engineering Environmental chemistry General chemistry Inorganic chemistry Materials science Medicinal/pharmaceutical chemistry Nanochemistry Organic chemistry Physical chemistry Polymer chemistry Other chemical sciences Business administration Computer science Law Other nonchemistry
0.9% 11.3 8.1 0.5 1.6 6.2 2.4 9.5 9.7 1.5 2.1 0.4 21.8 11.1 3.0 1.9 1.3 id id 6.2
% WOMEN
BY WORK SPECIALTY TOTAL
38.0% 34.3 38.6 34.2 51.9 20.0 33.0 39.8 26.4 31.9 28.3 31.3 23.8 31.5 32.4 34.9 28.7 id id 32.4
% WOMEN
2.6% 14.5 5.6 3.4 8.2 4.8 4.9 3.0 3.9 5.9 8.1 0.9 11.0 5.9 5.4 2.6
30.3% 34.8 39.6 28.8 47.5 17.2 33.6 43.0 24.9 25.0 23.9 27.1 24.0 26.3 22.0 33.8
1.5 0.6 1.0 5.7
19.0 id 35.4 39.1
HOW TO READ THIS TABLE: Of ACS members employed full- or part-time, 0.9% had their highest degree in agricultural/food chemistry, and 38.0% of those were women; 2.6% worked in agricultural/food chemistry, and 30.3% of those were women. id = insufficient data. SOURCE: ACS salary and employment survey 2014
INDUSTRIAL SALARIES
Chemists working in management and in forensics earned some of the highest salaries $ THOUSANDS BY WORK FUNCTION Analytical services Chemistry information services Computer programming, analysis, design Consulting Forensic analysis Health and safety, regulatory affairs Management: general (non-R&D) Management: R&D Marketing/sales Patents, licensing, trademarks Production, quality control Research: applied Research: basic Teaching or training BY SIZE OF EMPLOYER Fewer than 50 50 to 99 100 to 499 500 to 2,499 2,500 to 9,999 10,000 to 24,999 25,000 or more ALL
BACHELOR’S
MASTER’S
PH.D.
$71.6 78.0 118.8
$90.0 104.1 108.0
$120.0 109.5 130.8
76.0 75.0 87.0
128.9 na 90.0
120.4 154.8 134.2
109.0 125.0 90.5 114.1 71.1 75.0 68.0 95.3
133.0 116.9 121.4 88.0 89.5 92.0 81.0 96.5
174.1 154.0 120.8 150.0 122.8 125.0 129.8 97.8
66.0 65.0 72.0 72.9 74.9 79.0 90.0
77.5 103.5 89.5 84.0 98.3 99.8 99.0
112.0 126.5 122.0 120.0 128.0 129.1 135.2
$77.5
$96.2
$130.0
NOTE: Median annual base salaries for industrial chemists employed full-time as of March 1, 2014. na = not applicable. SOURCE: ACS salary and employment survey 2014
