Job Market Research›United Kingdom›Chemistry
Check the job market before you choose the course.Real jobs and pay for your field, and how to stay on to work.
How it works
The jobs Chemistry leads to, added together. Each label compares Chemistry with the other UK fields.
The jobs Chemistry courses most often lead to in the UK, and how each one is doing.
| Job | Share | Average pay ONS | Entry pay ONS | Growth to 2035 DfE | Jobs / month ONSvs last year | Employer-sponsored visa Home Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Chemical scientists | £39,983 | £32,729 | +11.1% | 347-16.3% | Sponsorable | |
| 2.Natural and social science professionals n.e.c. | £43,384 | £34,431 | +11.1% | 324-33% | Sponsorable | |
| 3.Biochemists and biomedical scientists | £47,892 | £37,637 | +11.1% | 662-23.1% | Sponsorable | |
| 4.Research and development (R&D) managers | £55,519 | £44,101 | +11.1% | 1,757-9.9% | Sponsorable | |
| 5.Production and process engineers | £47,946 | £39,642 | +11.1% | 1,234-5.1% | Sponsorable | |
| 6.Engineering professionals n.e.c. | £48,776 | £39,653 | +11.1% | 3,511-9.2% | Sponsorable | |
| 7.Quality control and planning engineers | £43,592 | £35,425 | +12.2% | 565+6.3% | Sponsorable | |
| 8.Business and related research professionals | £41,128 | £34,995 | +12.2% | 1,664-14.3% | Sponsorable |
Share: how common each job is among Chemistry destinations. Entry pay: lower-quartile pay, a guide to starting salaries. Jobs / month: new job adverts over the last three months of ONS data. Swipe the table sideways for more.
Master's graduates who studied Chemistry, one year after graduating, working in the UK.
International graduates earned 9% less than UK graduates of the same subject a year after graduating. Based on 140 graduates of English universities who were working in the UK. Graduates who left the UK are not included.
How international students stay to work in the UK after studying Chemistry.
A master's or a PhD from a UK university.
to live and work in the UK after a master's. 3 years after a PhD. No job offer needed.
To stay after your Graduate visa ends, an employer sponsors you for a Skilled Worker visa. As a new graduate, the job must pay at least £33,400, or 70% of that job's usual salary if that is higher.
Typical pay for the same jobs (in US dollars in brackets, at June 2026 exchange rates), projected growth, and post-study work after a master's.
49 UK universities offer 133 postgraduate courses in Chemistry. The highest ranked:
International students who finished a master's in Chemistry earned a median £26,400 one year after graduating (tax year 2023–24), and £36,700 five years after graduating. Across all workers in these jobs, typical pay is £45,200 and starting pay about £36,600.
Employers posted about 1,034 job adverts a month for these jobs between May and August 2026, 12.7% fewer than a year earlier. Employment in these jobs is projected to grow 11.3% from 2025 to 2035.
Yes, for 18 months on the Graduate visa (applications from 1 January 2027). To stay longer, 100% of these jobs can be sponsored for a Skilled Worker visa, at a minimum of £33,400 a year for a new graduate.
Every figure comes from an official UK source. Tap a source tag next to any number for its details.
Indicative figures from official UK sources. They describe groups of graduates and workers, not what any individual will earn or be offered. Visa rules change — check GOV.UK before you decide.