Also called: Spectroscopy Scientist, Raman Spectroscopist
Identifies what things are made of by reading the 'fingerprint' of the light they absorb or give off.
You might shine a laser on a mystery powder to identify it, check a drug's purity, or analyze light from a distant star or a crime-scene fiber. You run instruments, interpret spectra, and write reports. Spectroscopists work in pharma, forensics, art museums, and NASA labs.
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 or physics for lab roles; PhD for research leadership.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Chemistry, Physics, Optical Sciences.
Growing about average. BLS does not project this specialty separately; rating estimated from related occupations.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Instruments with AI now identify most samples automatically; fewer analysts, mostly for unusual samples and methods.
Classes: AP Chemistry, AP Physics, Statistics.
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.