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Chemist
Everything around you, everything you see, is made of atoms.  All products used by us, every day, were made from man's ability to manipulate atoms.  In fact, it was this advanced understanding of atoms that begot the world's first civilizations, thousands of years ago, an understanding that very few people seek.  If you are gifted in Science and Math and if you would like to join a community of elite minds who possess the power to positively impact the physical world around them, then you should become a Chemist. 
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Chemists are Scientists who investigate the properties, composition, and structure of matter.  They study elements and substances at the atomic and molecular levels and the ways in which substances react with each other.  Often working in high-tech research laboratories, they use their knowledge to develop new and improved products, crops, plants, and medicines and to test the quality of manufactured goods, soils, plants, water supplies, etc.

The duties of a Chemist include but are not limited to:  instructing and directing technicians and other scientists in analyzing components, physical properties of materials, and proper chemical processing and testing procedures (ingredients, mixing times, operating temperatures, etc.); preparing solutions and compounds used in laboratory procedures; analyzing substances to determine their element composition and concentration; experimenting with combinations of elements and their interactions; investigating possible new products and ways to improve existing ones; developing new and improved drugs, plastics, cleaners, etc. and ways to mass produce them; utilizing computers and laboratory instrumentation for modeling, simulation, and experimental analysis; studying the structure and other properties of complex molecules; conducting tests on materials to ensure safety and quality standards; designing and making new organic substances with unique properties and applications; planning and conducting basic and applied research; writing technical reports that detail research methods and findings; presenting research findings to engineers and other scientists; and teaching at universities.

High school students interested in becoming a Chemist benefit from taking Chemistry, Physical Science, Earth Science, Biology, Anatomy, Physics, Botany, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, Health, English, Geography, and Computer Applications.  Students entering Chemistry Bachelor's of Science programs from high school with no previous training as a Chemist should expect a period of four years to complete said program.  Graduates of a bachelor's degree program would then need to complete a two-year master’s degree program for an entry-level research job in Chemistry.  Completion of a four-year Ph.D. program is needed to lead major, advanced research projects or to teach at universities.

Specialties in Chemistry include:  Biochemists (study chemical processes and transformations in living organisms—DNAs, proteins, cell parts, etc.); Geochemists (study chemical mechanisms behind major geological systems—Earth's crust and oceans); Analytical Chemists (determine structure, composition, and nature of substances); Inorganic Chemists (study structure, properties, and reactions of non-carbon-containing molecules); Organic Chemists (study structure, properties, and reactions of carbon-containing molecules); and Medicinal Chemists (research and develop pharmaceutical drugs). 

Due to the urgent need to replace the growing number of Chemists set to retire and the ongoing need to monitor the quality of products and processes, employment of these professionals is projected to grow 6 percent.  Chemists who have acquired an advanced degree, particularly those with a Ph.D., are expected to experience much better job opportunities.
Job Description
Median Salary & Range
​Median Salary:  $71,770

Salary Range:  ~$41,080 - $120,600+
College Majors & Attainment Routes
​The​ normal routes to becoming a Chemist have been to major in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Forensic Chemistry, Forensic Science, and Pharmaceutical Science.​

A bachelor’s degree is required to teach Chemistry in high school, while a master’s degree is needed for entry-level Chemistry research jobs.  A Ph.D. is required for many basic and applied research jobs or to teach at universities.  Computer Science courses are essential, because Chemists perform modeling and simulation tasks, manage and manipulate databases, and operate computerized laboratory equipment.
Colleges That Provide Above Majors
Colleges and universities that have Chemistry and related majors are:  Coppin State University (Baltimore, Maryland); Morgan State University (Baltimore, Maryland); University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Princess Anne, Maryland); Alcorn State University (Lorman, Mississippi); Jackson State University (Jackson, Mississippi); Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena, Mississippi); Alabama A&M University (Huntsville, Alabama); Howard University (Washington, DC); Alabama State University (Montgomery, Alabama); Rust College (Holly Springs, Mississippi); Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View, Texas); Tougaloo College (Jackson, Mississippi); North Carolina Central University (Durham, North Carolina); Bennett College (Greensboro, North Carolina); Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City, North Carolina); Fayetteville State University (Fayetteville, North Carolina); Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, North Carolina); North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, North Carolina); Lincoln University (Jefferson City, Missouri); Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, Alabama); Winston Salem State University (Winston Salem, North Carolina); Saint Augustine's University (Raleigh, North Carolina); Shaw University (Raleigh, North Carolina); Central State University (Wilberforce, Ohio); Langston University (Langston, Oklahoma); Cheyney University (Cheyney, Pennsylvania); Lincoln University (Lincoln University, Pennsylvania); Tennessee State University (Nashville, Tennessee); Allen University (Columbia, South Carolina); Claflin University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); Miles College (Fairfield, Alabama); Oakwood University (Huntsville, Alabama); Talladega College (Talladega, Alabama); Philander Smith College (Little Rock, Arkansas); University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (Pine Bluff, Arkansas); Delaware State University (Dover, Delaware); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, DC); Benedict College (Columbia, South Carolina); Bethune-Cookman University (Daytona Beach, Florida); Florida A&M University (Tallahassee, Florida); Florida Memorial University (Miami Gardens, Florida); Albany State University (Albany, Georgia); Clark Atlanta University (Atlanta, Georgia); Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia); Paine College (Augusta, Georgia); Spelman College (Atlanta, Georgia); Fort Valley State University (Fort Valley, Georgia); Kentucky State University (Frankfort, Kentucky); Grambling State University (Grambling, Louisiana); Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge, Louisiana); Fisk University (Nashville, Tennessee); Virginia Union University (Richmond, Virginia); Norfolk State University (Norfolk, Virginia); Texas Southern University (Houston, Texas); Dillard University (New Orleans, Louisiana); Xavier University (New Orleans, Louisiana); Virginia State University (Petersburg, Virginia); ​Hampton University (Hampton, Virginia); ​Huston-Tillotson University (Austin, Texas); LeMoyne-Owen College (Memphis, Tennessee); Wiley College (Marshall, Texas); Jarvis Christian College (Hawkins, Texas); West Virginia State University (Charleston, West Virginia); and Lane College (Jackson, Tennessee).
Available Scholarships