Is graduate school especially useful for careers in chemistry and materials research?

For careers in chemistry or materials research, graduate school is generally especially useful, but it is not universally required. A master's program provides more time for specialized experiments, research planning, and presenting or publishing results, and some companies list a master's degree as a requirement or preference for R&D positions. Researcher roles in universities or public institutions, and some highly specialized positions, may require a PhD. Some R&D and technical roles accept bachelor's graduates, so the choice should be based on the target field, employers' job postings, and the program's content.