Chemists vs Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health: $91K vs $82K Median Pay

Chemists vs Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health: what changes?

Consider Chemists if you want to conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge. Consider Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health if you would rather conduct research or perform investigation for the purpose of identifying, abating, or eliminating sources of pollutants or hazards that affect either the environment or public health. Both list bachelor's degree; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Chemists and Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Chemists

National median pay (2025): $91,240
Route into the job: Bachelor's degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Develop, improve, or customize products, equipment, formulas, processes, or analytical methods.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 5,900

Know before you choose

Review the full career brief for day-to-day working conditions.

See the full Chemists brief

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

National median pay (2025): $82,220
Route into the job: Bachelor's degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Communicate scientific or technical information to the public, organizations, or internal audiences through oral briefings, written documents, workshops, conferences, training sessions, or public hearings.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 7,300

Know before you choose

Review the full career brief for day-to-day working conditions.

See the full Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health brief

How the national numbers differ

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health has the edge on annual openings

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health is at 7,300 annual openings, compared with 5,900 annual openings for Chemists.

Chemists has the edge on median pay

Chemists is at $91,240, compared with $82,220 for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health.

Chemists has the edge on projected growth

Chemists is at 6.4% projected growth, compared with 6.1% projected growth for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health.

64.2/ 100

Chemists

64.1/ 100

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence