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Science

Chemical Technicians

Conduct chemical and physical laboratory tests to assist scientists in making qualitative and quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, and gaseous materials for research and development of new products or processes, quality control, maintenance of environmental standards, and other work involving experimental, theoretical, or practical application of chemistry and related sciences.

Median salary (BLS)

$60,390

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$42k – $92k

Job outlook

+4% (faster than average)

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $119,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Chemical Technicians

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Education

Typical entry: Associate degree

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Typical progression

  1. Junior Chemical Technicians

    Entry / Junior

    $41,740

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Chemical Technicians

    Established

    $60,390

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Chemical Technicians

    Senior

    $76,215

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Conduct chemical or physical laboratory tests to assist scientists in making qualitative or quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, or gaseous materials.
  • •Maintain, clean, or sterilize laboratory instruments or equipment.
  • •Monitor product quality to ensure compliance with standards and specifications.
  • •Set up and conduct chemical experiments, tests, and analyses, using techniques such as chromatography, spectroscopy, physical or chemical separation techniques, or microscopy.
  • •Prepare chemical solutions for products or processes, following standardized formulas, or create experimental formulas.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Science

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.