Top jobs with a chemistry degree
Find out what you could do with a chemistry degree from Surrey and discover some of the jobs our graduates have secured.
Our degrees in chemistry, medicinal chemistry and chemistry with forensic investigation consistently produce graduates who secure jobs.
96 per cent of Surrey graduates are in work or further study, and our chemistry undergraduates earn an average starting salary of £31,448 (Graduate Outcomes 2025, HESA).
Many of our students boost their employability by taking advantage of our exceptional Professional Training placement programme, which enables you to spend a year gaining valuable work experience with a relevant company, and often leads to a job offer on graduation. This is one reason why we were awarded Best University Careers/Employability Service at the National University Employability Awards 2022.
Careers with a chemistry degree
A chemistry degree creates opportunities in a huge range of fascinating careers in many diverse areas.
Whether you’re interested in pursuing a career in the chemical industry, scientific research, technology, the energy sector, production and quality control of processes, industrial development or forensic investigation, our undergraduate chemistry programmes provide you with a strong foundation for an exciting career.
Jobs specifically related to chemistry can include:
- Chemistry teacher
- Computational chemist
- Environmental chemist
- Experimental chemist
- Forensic scientist
- Medical industries scientist
- Process chemist
- Pharmaceutical researcher
- Research chemist.
Graduate success stories
Surrey chemistry graduates have taken up roles as chemists, research scientists, forensic scientists and electro-physiologists at EDF Energy, Royal Society of Chemistry and LGC Forensics.
While many graduates enter the chemical industry, as positions often follow successful Professional Training placements, others choose to take up roles in finance or government.
In recent years, our graduates have secured employment with companies such as:
- Rouse Partners
- Minerva Scientific
- Whitman Laboratories
- LGC
- Applied Polymer Developments Limited
- Infineum
- JP Morgan
- Reckitt Benckiser Health Care
- Centrica
- Eurofins Forensic Services
- Stamford
- Synergy Flavours
- RedT Energy
- Perkin Elmer
- St James Place.
Graduates have secured roles in industry, including: Accounts and Audit Associate, Analytical Chemist, Analyst, Chemist, Finance Analyst, Future Leadership Programme Associate, Laboratory Technician, New Product Development Assistant, Quality Control, Research Scientist, Technical Applications Scientist, and Trainee Financial Advisor.
Further academic study
Many of our graduates also go on to undertake PhD research, investigating an area of personal interest.
Discover more about our chemistry degrees, our award-winning Professional Training placement scheme and student life at Surrey.