Chemical Technicians
What Chemical Technicians Do
Conduct chemical and physical laboratory tests to assist scientists in making qualitative and quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, and gaseous materials for research and development of new products or processes, quality control, maintenance of environmental standards, and other work involving experimental, theoretical, or practical application of chemistry and related sciences.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 0.7%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 3 of 5Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Job training
- Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Chemistryimportance 3.8/5
- English Languageimportance 3.5/5
- Mathematicsimportance 3.4/5
- Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.1/5
- Production and Processingimportance 3.0/5
- Administrativeimportance 2.9/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 2.7/5
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 2.4/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- E-Mail5.0/5
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams5.0/5
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.9/5
- Exposed to Contaminants4.9/5
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.9/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians93% skill match
- Radiation Therapists92% skill match
- Furniture Finishers91% skill match
- Medical Appliance Technicians91% skill match
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders91% skill match
- Nuclear Technicians91% skill match
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographers91% skill match
- Conveyor Operators and Tenders91% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Operations Monitoringimportance 3.3/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.1/5
- Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.1/5
- Systems Evaluationimportance 3.1/5
- Time Managementimportance 3.1/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
- Instructingimportance 3.0/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Integrity
- Achievement Orientation
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Perseverance
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- InvestigativeHigh
- RealisticHigh
- ConventionalHigh
- SocialLow
- ArtisticLow
- EnterprisingLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where chemical technicians make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Kalamazoo-Portage, MI6.73× national avg
- 2Bay City, MI6.52× national avg
- 3Decatur, AL6.18× national avg
- 4Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX5.72× national avg
- 5Sheboygan, WI5.39× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansCareer Change
- Diagnostic Medical SonographersCareer Change
- Nuclear TechniciansLateral Move
- Radiation TherapistsCareer Change
Related Education Programs
Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.
Chemistry, General
- University of California-San Diego (La Jolla, CA)grads earn ~$77,249
- University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)grads earn ~$56,179
- University of California-Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)grads earn ~$82,386
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Champaign, IL)grads earn ~$70,197
- CUNY Hunter College (New York, NY)grads earn ~$54,699