After that, a widening salary gap develops as men pull ahead. And there are still relatively few older women chemists in the workforce. The differential between the median salaries of industrial chemists in the top and bottom 10th percentiles increases steadily with age and experience. It is difficult to be precise about the impact of geography on chemists' salaries. For chemists in industry, the best salaries are in management, with applied research and production work trailing.
Industrial chemists have a distinct edge when it comes to bonuses.
Relatively few nonindustrial chemists receive bonuses. The employment status of chemists has changed very little in the past two years. This also shows essentially no change. This overall pattern of a somewhat soft employment situation for chemists is puzzling in light of the strong economy, the low overall unemployment rate, and the improving job and sal-ary situation for new graduates at all degree levels entering the chemical workforce. The pharmaceutical industry, another major employer of chemists, remains highly profitable.