Undergraduate Programs
We offer five undergraduate major options. The list below will provide the requirements and standard timetable for obtaining these degrees.
- Standard Chemistry Major
- Standard Chemistry Major with a Biochemical Option
- Biochemistry Major
- Biochemistry Major with Clinical Pharmacology Option
- Chemistry Minor
Students who are interested in graduate work in biochemistry should follow the Standard Chemistry Major with a Biochemical Option.
Why Study Chemistry
As the study of elementary substances, a chemistry or biochemistry major forms the foundation of many different careers. In addition to the traditional chemistry laboratory, Chemistry and Biochemistry majors find job opportunities in:
- Medical labs
- Crime labs
- Sales
- Teaching
- Manufacturing
- Government
Many Chemistry and Biochemistry majors also enter into Health Fields including:
- Medicine
- Pharmacy
- Dentistry
The median salary for a new graduate with a Bachelor’s in Chemistry or Biochemistry is 40,000 (ACS, 2015). Salaries increase with both experience and education:
Median Annual Salaries by Years of Experience
Data from 2014 and 2015 reports.
New Graduates (2014) |
2-4 Years (2015→) |
5-9 Years |
10-14 Years |
15-19 Years |
|
| B.S./B.A. | 40.0 | 46.3 | 58.7 | 71.0 | 78.4 |
| M.S. | 52.0 | 60.0 | 60.3 | 72.0 | 84.8 |
| PhD | 62.9 | — | 70.0 | 78.0 | 89.3 |
20-24 Years |
25-29 Years |
30-34 Years |
35-39 Years |
40+ Years |
|
| B.S./B.A. | 92.2 | 93.0 | 96.9 | 98.0 | 93.0 |
| M.S. | 86.5 | 97.0 | 98.0 | 96.0 | 105.0 |
| PhD | 100.0 | 110.0 | 125.0 | 132.7 | 127.2 |
Median annual salaries $ in thousands for full-time permanent staff, 2014 or 2015.
Note: A long dash within a cell indicates summary data are unavailable.
Source: Starting Salaries of Chemists and Chemical Engineers: 2014. ACS. 5 March 2015. (PDF) and 2015 ChemCensus. ACS. November 2015 (ACS Members Only).