As of July, 2010, the average person with a bachelor's degree in chemistry earned $37,090, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. This can vary, depending on location and employer.
Advanced degrees are one of the best ways to advance in a career in chemistry. Holders of a master's in chemistry earned a median salary of $59,000 a year in 2009, while Ph.D.'s earned $85,200 annually, according to the University of Tennessee Department of Chemistry.
The typical chemistry major at any degree level saw a raise of about 3.4 percent between 2000 and 2009 -- faster than the 2.5 average rise in the cost of goods over the same period.