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Posted on 7/12/24 at 11:27 am to lostinbr
quote:
As a lab tech, sure. The problem is that lab tech jobs don’t pay that well (certainly not compared to other plant jobs). It’s comparable to teaching, probably lower at the entry level.
Chemistry undergrads are in a weird spot. They’re really overqualified to be lab techs, but they’re under-qualified to do much more than that in the chemistry field. Most quickly realize that the types of jobs they imagined doing when they went into chemistry (assuming they aren’t pre-med) require advanced degrees.
This is my son 100%. Going into his sophomore year at Bama as a chem major. Loves being in the lab. Not a materialistic kid at all even though we live really well now. He already knows he'll have to go all the way but I can't get him interested in going in a direction that traditionally will pay well. He will be getting his MBA as part of the program so maybe that will help but he's not interested in sales. The MBA is mostly free so that's his big reason for doing it.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 11:30 am to braves21
quote:
Any chemistry majors here
quote:
mostly examining bacteria?
Let's start with remedial science classes. Doesn't matter which one, just pick.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 11:32 am to lostinbr
quote:
As a lab tech, sure. The problem is that lab tech jobs don’t pay that well
This is completely untrue unless you’re a contractor.
Lab techs make more than engineers at my plant.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 11:35 am to lostinbr
Yea Chemistry is an all or nothing degree basically. Get your PhD and do big-time research and it's worth it. Anything short of a PhD narrows your career prospects significantly.
I had the same realization as a freshman 15 years ago and swapped to ChemE cause I realized I had no desire to stay in school that long. One of the best decisions I've ever made.
I had the same realization as a freshman 15 years ago and swapped to ChemE cause I realized I had no desire to stay in school that long. One of the best decisions I've ever made.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 11:39 am to weedGOKU666
quote:
Yea Chemistry is an all or nothing degree basically. Get your PhD and do big-time research and it's worth it. Anything short of a PhD narrows your career prospects significantly.
I had the same realization as a freshman 15 years ago and swapped to ChemE cause I realized I had no desire to stay in school that long. One of the best decisions I've ever made.
Thanks for the feedback. We all have to find our own way I guess. One of the bright sides to this is he is on a full ride for undergrad and MBA, I am still funding his 529 and it hasn't really been touched so he'll have some support going forward.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 11:39 am to braves21
My cousin has a chemistry degree and made a ton of marijuana wax/resin/shatter back in the day
Posted on 7/12/24 at 12:10 pm to braves21
No degree required to make drugs. 99,9999% of folks cooking meth in their mobile home do not have degrees.
Look at a few you tube videos on cooking meth and get started making money. When you make a killing, then go get a degree in philosophy to learn what life truly means.
If you want to go high tech, there are ways to make it from the trunk of your car, so you can take an order over the phone, drive over to the customer's house and whip up a batch while they watch.
One thing they won't teach you in college is "Get the money first and watch your back".
Oh, for the car trunk stuff, tell then "It may look grim, but it will get the job done."
Also, they don't teach you in college to never do your own stuff. Only cook to sell.
Look at a few you tube videos on cooking meth and get started making money. When you make a killing, then go get a degree in philosophy to learn what life truly means.
If you want to go high tech, there are ways to make it from the trunk of your car, so you can take an order over the phone, drive over to the customer's house and whip up a batch while they watch.
One thing they won't teach you in college is "Get the money first and watch your back".
Oh, for the car trunk stuff, tell then "It may look grim, but it will get the job done."
Also, they don't teach you in college to never do your own stuff. Only cook to sell.
This post was edited on 7/12/24 at 12:21 pm
Posted on 7/12/24 at 12:18 pm to lostinbr
Lab techs are the highest paid hourly at most plants. Well into the 50’s an hour.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 12:32 pm to braves21
Made Novacaine in organic lab.
PChem presents some of the crazier math you'll see in undergrad.
PChem presents some of the crazier math you'll see in undergrad.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 12:39 pm to braves21
I need a chemist too. I have what is probably 5 pounds of war nickels that have been through a house fire. They are all melty, but the war nickels (1942-1945) are 35% silver. I need to break them down chemically to extract the silver from the copper and manganese.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 12:45 pm to SulphursFinest
quote:
Lab techs are the highest paid hourly at most plants. Well into the 50’s an hour.
I guess I stand corrected. That’s shocking to me if accurate because most lab techs in industry don’t make anywhere near that much. Supervisors certainly do, as well as the folks who have the knowledge and experience to maintain the equipment. But not the techs running pinks and blues.
But I will admit my knowledge there is mostly limited to 3rd party testing so maybe it’s much, much higher for direct-hire people at the plant’s internal lab.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 12:49 pm to lostinbr
quote:
Supervisors certainly do, as well as the folks who have the knowledge and experience to maintain the equipment
I don’t know too many analysts who don’t do some degree of instrument maintenance and repair. Otherwise everything would stall completely whenever a piece of equipment went down.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 1:04 pm to troyt37
(no message)
This post was edited on 3/16/25 at 8:40 pm
Posted on 7/12/24 at 1:06 pm to troyt37
quote:
I need a chemist too. I have what is probably 5 pounds of war nickels that have been through a house fire. They are all melty, but the war nickels (1942-1945) are 35% silver. I need to break them down chemically to extract the silver from the copper and manganese.
You can do this using Nitric but you’re gonna need a hood.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 1:34 pm to dyslexiateechur
quote:
You can do this using Nitric but you’re gonna need a hood.
I don't think I would even begin to try. I have to assume there would be several steps to actually separate the silver from the copper and manganese. I'd end up making a bomb or something and have the feds up my arse.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 1:59 pm to achenator
quote:
This is my son 100%. Going into his sophomore year at Bama as a chem major. Loves being in the lab. Not a materialistic kid at all even though we live really well now. He already knows he'll have to go all the way but I can't get him interested in going in a direction that traditionally will pay well. He will be getting his MBA as part of the program so maybe that will help but he's not interested in sales. The MBA is mostly free so that's his big reason for doing it.
Tell your kid to switch to Chemical Engineering, and try to work in Dr. Bara’s lab. If he likes the chemistry and synthesis stuff and wants to see what it would look like if he continues to advanced degrees, or he can get out with his BS and make a solid to hefty check right out of school.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 2:01 pm to braves21
No, but I roomed with a pharmacy student, and our suite mates were also pharmacy majors. Organic chemistry was generally thought of as the hardest class for pharmacy undergrads.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 2:06 pm to troyt37
quote:
I'd end up making a bomb or something and have the feds up my arse.
Something other than illegally melting down us currency
i assume your intent is for profit and they frown on that. 
Posted on 7/12/24 at 2:26 pm to weedGOKU666
quote:
and do big-time research and it's worth it. Anything short of a PhD narrows your career prospects significantly. I had the same realization as a freshman 15 years ago and swapped to ChemE cause I realized I had no desire to stay in school that long. One of the best decisions I've ever made.
Same. I got my ChemE degree once I realized the PhD route issue with a pure Chemistry degree. I ended up getting a Masters in ChemE ironically enough.
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