Also called: QC Chemist, Lab Analyst
Tests raw materials and finished products to prove they meet specs before they ship.
Samples from every batch land on your bench. You measure pH, thickness and purity, compare against the spec, and either release the batch or put it on hold and call the plant.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Associate's degree (2-year), about 2 years after high school. Associate or bachelor's in chemistry or lab science.
Ways in: 2-year college, 4-year college. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Chemistry, Laboratory Science.
Growing about average (about 2% over 10 years).
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Automated instruments and AI data review handle much routine testing and paperwork; sample prep and investigating failures still need people.
Classes: Chemistry, Biology, Algebra II, Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-4031.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.