When applying to grad school, the path to some level of guaranteed support is admission to a PhD program, not a masters program. Of course, it is much more difficult to gain admission to a good PhD program (vs masters). Most schools are quite picky and you will need to have a very good undergrad record and GREs. It’s not quite as hard as getting into med school, although it can be even harder in certain fields. It is true that one way to earn at least a masters is to get into a PhD program, and drop out when you fail to clear all of the PhD hurdles. Almost for sure, you will be awarded a consolation masters. As to your point about the income differential between a BS and a PhD chemist as not “sufficient” for you, I don’t think that this should be the driving force for getting into a PhD program. To earn a PhD in a scientific field such as chemistry is no cakewalk. You must love the subject as it will require very hard study, research, and resilience. At the end, should you finish, you will have attained the highest possible academic achievement in your field, and it will definitely open doors for you.
The suggestion to get a job and then take advantage of employer-sponsored continuing education is not a bad idea. But this does require extra dedication, time and energy to work a full-time job and taking classes at the same time, unless you can get a leave of absence. I just favor getting all your formal education behind you before embarking on a career.