Where Chemistry Graduates Work and Study
HPU chemistry alumni work and study at:
- U.S. Department of Defense
- RPM Industrial Coatings Group
- KBI Biopharma
- Signature Science
- University of Notre Dame
- North Carolina State University
- Georgia Institute of Technology
Chemistry Salary and Job Outlook
U.S. News & World Report ranks High Point University #1 among Regional Universities in the South for Earnings by Major in Best Colleges 2027, a factor that measures what graduates earn four years after leaving campus.
Across all majors, 99% of High Point University’s Class of 2025 was employed or continuing their education within 180 days of graduation, 13 points above the national average, measured by National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) standards. The Princeton Review ranks HPU #14 for Best Career Services in its 2027 guide.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, chemists and materials scientists earned a median of $95,060 in May 2025, with 7% projected growth from 2025 to 2035 and about 6,500 openings a year. Biochemists and biophysicists earned a median of $127,410, and forensic science technicians earned $72,060, with 13% projected growth.
Job Titles Chemistry Graduates Hold
- Chemist (U.S. Department of Defense)
- Chemist I (RPM Industrial Coatings Group)
- Synthetic Chemist (Signature Science)
- Research Associate I (KBI Biopharma)
- Emergency Medicine Physician
- Primary Care and Sports Medicine Physician
Roles Chemistry Graduates Can Pursue
- Analytical or Synthetic Chemist
- Chemical Engineer, after engineering study
- Forensic Chemist
- Toxicologist
- Pharmaceutical Scientist
- Materials Scientist
- Physician or Pharmacist, after professional school
Chemistry Student Organizations
HPU chemistry majors build pre-professional and research experience through these clubs and honor societies:
- American Chemical Society
- Alpha Chi Sigma, the professional chemistry fraternity
- Pre-Pharmacy
- Pre-Med Society
- Alpha Epsilon Delta Health Pre-Professional Honor Society
- Natural Sciences Fellows
Every registered club is listed in the Student Government Association club directory, and HPU’s honor societies are listed on their own page.
Chemistry Presentations and Scholarships
Students present at the ACS National Meeting and SERMACS and hold NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates internships. Sadie Flagg won a Goldwater Scholarship in 2023, and Alexa Young earned a Department of Defense SMART Scholarship.
Chemistry Alumni
Dr. Mary Funke
Emergency Medicine Physician
Dr. Mary Funke majored in chemistry with a math minor at HPU, earned a medical degree at Creighton University and completed residency at Duke.
Dr. Jenny Kordell
Primary Care and Sports Medicine Physician
Dr. Jenny Kordell majored in chemistry, conducted cancer research with HPU chemistry professors and interned at the National Cancer Institute.
Marlo Hemerson
Research Associate I, KBI Biopharma
Marlo Hemerson double majored in neuroscience and chemistry and now does analytical testing on drug products in Durham.
Chemistry Graduate Outcomes
Alexa Young is a chemist with the U.S. Department of Defense at Picatinny Arsenal, and Madison Hill, a chemistry and physics double major, is a Chemist I at RPM Industrial Coatings Group. Laura Sarafinas is a synthetic chemist at Signature Science.
Graduate and Medical School
Sophia Gregory is pursuing a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Notre Dame, Elizabeth Riser a Ph.D. at North Carolina State University and Sadie Flagg a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Georgia Tech.
Chemistry Internships
Chemistry majors intern in industry labs, research universities and government programs. Read how three of them got there.
Alyssa Lovallo
Materials Test Lab Engineer Intern, Lockheed Martin
“My most impactful moment at HPU was getting started in undergraduate research to find what I am interested in!”
Madison Hill
Analytical Chemist Intern, RPM Industrial Coatings Group
“My most impactful moment at HPU was presenting at two American Chemical Society National meetings.”
Stephanie Mera
Pharmacology and Toxicology Research Intern, Rutgers University
“My research experience has been a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience.”
Chemistry students have also researched with the National Cancer Institute (Dr. Jenny Kordell), the National Institutes of Health and NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs.
Chemistry Graduates in Their Own Words
Research, conferences and faculty mentors come up again and again when chemistry alumni talk about HPU.
Alexa Young
Chemist, U.S. Department of Defense
“Presenting my research at conferences on the regional and national levels also gave me real-life experience that applies to life post-graduation.”
Laura Sarafinas
Synthetic Chemist, Signature Science
“My most impactful moment at HPU was presenting my research at HighPurcs.”
Sophia Gregory
Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, University of Notre Dame
“HPU allowed me to do research as early as possible, which showed me I love working in the laboratory.”
Start Your Chemistry Career at High Point University
See the courses behind these careers and the program’s awards.
Accreditation & Awards Curriculum & Research
Questions about the program? Email Dr. Todd Knippenberg at [email protected].