Chemists and materials scientists
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Chemists and materials scientists in the United States earn a median salary of $95,060 per year — about $46 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 96K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +5%.
AI & Automation Risk
This occupation is a high-level blend of digital knowledge work and physical laboratory experimentation. AI is already revolutionizing the digital aspects—such as molecular modeling, predictive simulation, and technical reporting—allowing scientists to screen millions of compounds in silico before ever entering a lab. While the physical requirement of conducting experiments and handling chemicals provides a buffer, the massive productivity gains in research and analysis mean AI will fundamentally restructure how these scientists spend their time.