Career Outlook
Biochemists
According to the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment of biochemists and biophysicists is projected to increase by 31 percent from 2010 to 2020, resulting in about 7,700 new jobs for that period. Median annual wages as of May 2010 were $79,390 and vary by industry:
| Biochemists | |
|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing | $84,970 |
| Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences | $83,590 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | $50,760 |
Chemists
Employment growth is expected to be 4 percent through 2020, with about 3,200 jobs projected to be added during that period. While the median annual wage for chemists was $68,320 (as of May 2010), salaries fluctuate widely by industry:
| Chemists | |
|---|---|
| Federal government, excluding postal service | $100,910 |
| Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences | $77,110 |
| Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing | $67,540 |
| Testing laboratories | $52,220 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | $49,430 |
