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What can you do with a Chemistry degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign?

First, some facts. Of the Chemistry graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:


These are estimates based on AI analysis of 19 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Significantly above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 85%, Chemistry graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have a much higher likelihood (+18%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 85%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

× Chart

Also, after graduating, 52% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests you may need more than just a Bachelors degree to be competitive as a Chemistry graduate.

See the details:

View a random Chemistry graduate from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and our analysis:

Relevance score: 100%

We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2021 from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Science - BS in Chemistry. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Associate Scientist
PPD
Nov 2021 - Present
As an Associate Scientist at PPD, the job requires significant application of chemistry knowledge and skills acquired during the Bachelor's degree, making it highly relevant.

ABOUT

A well-rounded student with a demonstrated history of working in the retail and scientific industry. Skilled in Statistics, Time Management, Communication, Leadership, and Microsoft Office. I received my Bachelor's of Science - BS focused in Chemistry and a minor in Business from the Gies School of Business from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

What jobs can you get with a Chemistry degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:

The graduates from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who have pursued careers in Chemistry have landed in a variety of jobs, but a good number of them find themselves in academic or research roles. Positions like Graduate Research Assistants, Postdoctoral Research Associates, and various types of scientists – including Associate and Senior Scientists at pharmaceutical companies – dominate the list. These roles heavily rely on the scientific principles learned during their Chemistry studies, with daily applications of chemical knowledge becoming essential to their jobs. In contrast, many graduates also took up teaching roles in high school science, but these positions often fell short of fully utilizing their chemistry expertise. For example, while a High School Science Teacher may apply some chemistry knowledge, it's often diluted with a broader general sciences curriculum. Similarly, leadership positions that involve overseeing departments or managing educational programs tend to be somewhat removed from direct chemistry application.

It's interesting to see that while many careers are directly relevant, a notable number of graduates also ventured into fields that don’t necessarily require a deep understanding of chemistry. Roles such as Banking Center Manager or Marketing Intern make use of transferable skills acquired during their degree, like analytical thinking, but don’t harness specific chemistry knowledge. Overall, it seems that for those who remain in science-centric job roles, the education in chemistry is highly relevant. Yet, for those who step into non-science areas, the application of chemistry principles becomes less apparent, showing a split between job relevance for science-oriented positions compared to those on the periphery of the field.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Chemistry graduates (this is across all Chemistry graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign):

What kind of career trajectories do Chemistry graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

Looking at the career paths of graduates from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with degrees in Chemistry, it's clear that many of these folks have found themselves in a mixture of academic, medical, and corporate roles. For their first jobs, many have taken positions related to research or education, such as teaching high school science or working as research assistants. These initial roles are often stepping stones that allow them to gain relevant experience in the field, which is vital when you're just starting out. However, not everyone sticks strictly to chemistry-related roles; some have veered off into banking and management positions, indicating varying interests that might not directly connect to their chemistry background.

Fast forward five to ten years, and there’s a notable pattern of graduates advancing into higher-level positions within the fields of research, healthcare, and even academia. You'll see some stepping up to roles like Assistant Professor, Research Associate, or various positions within pharmaceutical companies, which align well with their chemistry expertise. Others managing teams or overseeing operations in laboratory settings are pretty widespread, showing that they're leveraging their education effectively in practical environments. Still, there are those who seem to wander a bit away from chemistry into consultancy and banking roles, reflecting a more diverse set of career interests. Overall, while many alumni are carving out solid careers directly related to chemistry, it’s also clear that some have taken diverse paths that may seem a bit outside the realm of their degree.

How hard is a Chemistry degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is no walk in the park, to be honest. It's pretty rigorous, especially when you dive into organic chemistry and physical chemistry, which can be challenging for many students. There's a good mixture of lectures, labs, and problem sets, and you’ll need to be ready to put in some serious study time. Overall, it's probably on the harder side compared to many other majors because of the heavy focus on math and complex concepts, but if you're passionate about the subject, it can be super rewarding. Just be prepared for a lot of late-night studying and some tough exams along the way!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Chemistry.

Do Chemistry graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign tend to make good money?

Looking at these job paths, it seems like some graduates from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are doing pretty well financially, especially those who went into academia, healthcare, and corporate research roles. For example, the podiatric residents and assistant professors usually have decent salaries, and positions like senior scientists at big companies like Pfizer typically pay well too. However, some early career paths, like high school teaching and entry-level roles, might not be as lucrative, especially compared to other fields. Overall, if these grads stick with their careers, they’re likely to see their earnings grow significantly as they gain experience and move into higher-level positions!

What buzzwords do Chemistry graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Chemistry (this is across all Chemistry graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Chemistry?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Chemistry (ordered by the average relevance score of their Chemistry graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College Score Count
University of California, Santa Cruz 88 10
University of California, Davis 86 11
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 85 19
Texas A&M University 83 11
Georgia State University 82 11
Purdue University 80 11
Virginia Commonwealth University 80 15
The Ohio State University 79 13
University of Pittsburgh 78 12
The University of Texas at Austin 76 15
Penn State University 75 11
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 75 19
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities 73 10
University of Wisconsin-Madison 70 12
University of Washington 67 15
Emory University 62 10
Florida International University 60 10
UC Santa Barbara 46 10
Texas Tech University 42 10