Employability

Employers value the transferable skills that a chemistry degree provides, not only for roles as a professional chemist, but also for jobs in other sectors including finance, business, publishing, IT and teaching. Almost two-thirds of chemistry graduates work in settings beyond laboratories. Employers like the scientific and technical knowledge, but also the combination of skills in problem-solving, teamwork, numeracy, research, project and time management, and written and verbal communication that studying chemistry fosters. This is reflected in the very competitive salaries paid to chemistry graduates. Our final year MChem year in industry (paid) enhances your employability and practical experience that employers value. Find out more about what careers a degree in Chemistry can offer you on the RSC website - Chemistry What Jobs can I do.

Employment Prospects and rankings

Some key facts about what a degree in Chemistry can do to help your employment prospects.

• Edinburgh ranked 3rd in the UK for 'Career after 15 months' - 96% (Guardian University Chemistry rankings 2025)
• Edinburgh ranked =2nd in the UK for 'Graduate Prospects' - 95% (Complete University Guide (Chemistry) 2025) 
• Chemical scientists’ median salary £38,590* which is £7,500 more than UK median average for other job postings. (Lightcast data 2023).
• The 2023 What Do Graduates Do report showed that the average salary for chemistry graduates six months after graduation was £25,593. Chemistry graduates had the highest levels of full-time employment (55%), although this was comparable for all science subjects (physics, biology, sports science).
• The chemical sciences workforce is projected to grow 30% faster than the overall UK labour market by 2032.
• A chemistry degree from Edinburgh makes you very attractive to employers. The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) 'How much will I earn with a degree in Chemistry' shows some more useful highlights to those above. 
• According to the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), the median salary for member-respondents in the 2023 Pay & Reward survey was £50,000. Early career members earned a median salary of £37,586. The average salary for chemistry graduates six months after graduation is £25,593.

Employability Workshops: From Concept to Consumer

The School of Chemistry runs employability workshops for our students. These allow students to speak to people from companies working in chemistry-related industries. Find out more from the video below:

Employment Sectors

Examples of chemistry graduate jobs and employment areas our students move into after completing their studies:

• Science
• Management
• Education
• Engineering
• Business, HR and finance