Theoretical Chemistry

Types of Degrees Theoretical Chemistry Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many theoretical chemistry graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Doctor’s Degree	4

What Theoretical Chemistry Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, theoretical chemistry majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Theoretical Chemistry Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in theoretical chemistry should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Theoretical Chemistry Majors

When studying theoretical chemistry, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Abilities for Theoretical Chemistry Majors

As you progress with your theoretical chemistry degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Theoretical Chemistry Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with theoretical chemistry:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Chemistry Professors	9.9%	$79,550
Chemists	6.5%	$76,890
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Theoretical Chemistry

Some degrees associated with theoretical chemistry may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to theoretical chemistry have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Some College Courses	0.1%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	1.6%
Bachelor’s Degree	43.9%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	4.9%
Master’s Degree	19.8%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	0.2%
Doctoral Degree	16.4%
Post-Doctoral Training	13.1%

Online Theoretical Chemistry Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	0	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	0	0
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	0	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Theoretical Chemistry

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to theoretical chemistry.

Major	Number of Grads
General Chemistry	18,809
Other Chemistry	603
Forensic Chemistry	338
Polymer Chemistry	85
Chemical Physics	52
Analytical Chemistry	40
Environmental Chemistry	23
Physical Chemistry	10
Organic Chemistry	6
Inorganic Chemistry	1
Cheminformatics/Chemistry Informatics	1

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.