What do they do?
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.
Also known as:
Analytical Laboratory Technician (Analytical Lab Technician), Analytical Technician, Chemical Analyst, Chemical Laboratory Technician (Chemical Lab Technician), Chemical Technician, Formulation Technician, Formulator, Laboratory Analyst (Lab Analyst), Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech), Laboratory Tester (Lab Tester), Organic Preparation Analyst (Organic Prep Analyst), Quality Control Laboratory Technician (QC Lab Tech), Quality Control Technician (QC Tech), Research Technician, Water Quality Technician
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Ranks #50 in job growth rate250Job Openings
Ranks #11 in net job growth
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- Bachelor's degree (31%)
- Some college, no degree (23%)
- High school diploma equivalent (22%)
- Associate's degree (13%)
- Less than high school diploma (4%)
- Master's degree (4%)
- Doctorate or Professional Degree (2%)
Most Popular Majors that prepare Chemical Technicians
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#1
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Degrees Granted
3,097
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Female Students
1,275
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Male Students
1,822
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Median Starting Salary
$45,700
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#2
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Degrees Granted
12
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Female Students
5
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Male Students
7
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Median Starting Salary
$45,700
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#3
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Degrees Granted
6
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Female Students
2
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Male Students
4
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Median Starting Salary
$45,700
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#4
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Degrees Granted
6
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Female Students
2
-
Male Students
4
-
Median Starting Salary
$45,700
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#5
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Degrees Granted
2
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Female Students
1
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Male Students
1
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Median Starting Salary
$45,700
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People in this career often have these skills:
- Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
People in this career often know a lot about:
- Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
People in this career often have talent in:
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
People in this career often do these activities:
- Analyze chemical compounds or substances.
- Clean objects.
- Maintain laboratory or technical equipment.
- Evaluate quality of materials or products.
- Set up laboratory or field equipment.
- Prepare compounds or solutions for products or testing.
- Interpret research or operational data.
- Serve on institutional or departmental committees.
- Train personnel in technical or scientific procedures.
- Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
- Manage scientific or technical project resources.
- Operate laboratory or field equipment.
- Supervise scientific or technical personnel.
- Develop new or advanced products or production methods.
This page includes data from:
Career data: O*NET 28.3 Database
by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA
Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics
Videos: CareerOneStop, USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development
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