How to become a chemist in Australia
Chemists study the chemical and physical properties of substances, and develop and monitor chemical processes and production.
Pay and growth are for the wider chemists, and food and wine scientists group, which is as fine as the data goes. The all-jobs median is $1,852 a week. Jobs in the chemists, and food and wine scientists group are projected to grow 19.6% between May 2025 and May 2035, faster than the 13.3% projected for all jobs. Projections are indicative, not forecasts, and JSA says they don't yet reflect generative AI.
What the job involves
- Conducts experiments and tests to identify the chemical composition and reactive properties of natural substances and processed materials.
- Analyses and conducts research to develop theories, techniques and processes, and tests the reliability of outcomes under different conditions.
- Develops practical applications of experimental and research findings.
How to get there
What it usually takes. A bachelor degree or higher. This is the skill level Jobs and Skills Australia gives the chemists, and food and wine scientists group, and some roles differ.
What people in the job have. Highest qualification held: 86% a degree or higher, 5% a diploma, 1% a Certificate III or IV.
Many jobs also need registration, a licence or a specific accredited course. Check the professional body or regulator before you choose.
Courses that can lead here
Estimate your ATAR and this page shows the gap to each course. Your marks stay on your device.
Victoria2 matches
VTAC lowest selection ranks, December 2025 offer round.
Science (Chemistry major) · La Trobe, Melbourne60.85 Science-Chemistry/Engineering-Chemical (Honours) · RMIT, City88.10NSW and ACT5 matches
UAC lowest selection ranks, December Round 2, 2025-26 admissions.
Bachelor of Medicinal Chemistry (Honours) · UNSW87.00 Bachelor of Medicinal Chemistry (Honours) · Wollongong80.25 Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) · UTS74.30 Bachelor of Secondary Education (Chemistry) · Wollongong73.15Queensland1 match
QTAC course pages, ATAR/Selection Rank profile for semester 1, 2026.
Western Australia12 matches
TISC Course Search: lowest ATAR offered for 2026 entry and guaranteed offer ATARs.
Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) in Chemistry · Curtin, Perth88.55 Bachelor of Science (Science) in Chemistry · Curtin, Perth74.90 Bachelor of Education (Secondary Education) - Science Education in Chemistry · Curtin, Perth63.20 Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - Chemistry Education · ECU, Joondalup60.50 Bachelor of Forensic Science in Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology · Murdoch, Perth60.05 Bachelor of Science (Physical Sciences) in Chemistry · Murdoch, Perth60.05 Bachelor of Forensic Science in Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology/Master of Forensic Science · Murdoch, Perth90.00 guaranteed Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) · Curtin, Perth86.80Showing 8 of 12 matches. Search every course.
Matched on course names, 20 across four admissions centres. A lowest selection rank includes adjustment points and moves every year. Check prerequisites and whether the course is accredited for this job.
Graduate outcomes, national
Undergraduates surveyed about four to six months after finishing, in 2025, across all providers. Full-time work is among those available for it. All graduates: 75.4% and $77,000. These are national figures for the study area, not for this course or uni, and a first-year salary says little about later pay. Source: QILT Graduate Outcomes Survey 2025.
Does it fit your interests?
Strongest interest areas for this kind of work: Investigative, Realistic, Conventional.
From O*NET ratings for "Chemists", the closest US occupation in JSA's correspondence (a good match). US ratings are a guide to Australian jobs, not a measurement of them.
Careers with similar interests
Chemical engineer$2,849 Environmental engineer$2,649 Electrical engineer$2,553 Physicist$1,848 Geologist$2,914Done this job, or studied for it?
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Share your storyJob data: © Commonwealth of Australia, Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profiles, February 2026 and Employment Projections, May 2025 to May 2035 (Victoria University), CC BY 4.0. Jobs and Skills Australia, ANZSCO 2013 Version 1.2 to O*NET-SOC 2019 Taxonomy correspondence.
Graduate outcomes: QILT Graduate Outcomes Survey 2025, National Report Tables (Social Research Centre, for the Australian Government).
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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. Curve ATAR has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.