Also called: Crop Protection Chemist, Agricultural Chemist
Designs the recipes for fertilizers, seed coatings and crop protection products so they work in the field and stay safe.
You mix test batches of a new spray, check that it stays stable in heat and cold, and see whether it sticks to leaves in a greenhouse. You also work with regulatory teams to prove the product is safe for people and pollinators.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in chemistry; many have a master's or PhD.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Chemistry, Agricultural Chemistry, Chemical Engineering.
Growing faster than average (about 5% over 10 years). Chemists overall.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI predicts stable formulations; greenhouse tests and safety data for regulators stay human.
Classes: AP Chemistry, Biology, Agriculture CTE.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-2031.
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.