Major decision guide
Biology vs Biochemistry
Biology covers living systems across every scale, from molecules to ecosystems, and lets you specialize late. Biochemistry narrows early to the chemistry of life — proteins, metabolism, and molecular mechanism — with a substantially heavier chemistry and physical-chemistry load.
How each major is officially classified
Both definitions below are the official U.S. Department of Education (NCES) CIP 2020 descriptions — not CampusPin summaries.
CIP 26.0101
Biology
Official title: Biology/Biological Sciences, General · Family: biological and biomedical sciences
A general program of biology at the introductory, basic level or a program in biology or the biological sciences that is undifferentiated as to title or content. Includes instruction in general biology and programs covering a variety of biological specializations.
CIP 26.0202
Biochemistry
Official title: Biochemistry · Family: biological and biomedical sciences
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the chemistry of living systems, their fundamental chemical substances and reactions, and their chemical pathways and information transfer systems, with particular reference to carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Includes instruction in bio-organic chemistry, protein chemistry, bioanalytical chemistry, bioseparations, regulatory biochemistry, enzymology, hormonal chemistry, calorimetry, and research methods and equipment operation.
What you actually study
Biology
- General biology, cell, and molecular biology
- Genetics
- Ecology and evolution
- Anatomy and physiology
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
- Lab techniques (PCR, gel electrophoresis, microscopy, sequencing)
Biochemistry
- General, organic, and physical chemistry
- Cellular and molecular biology
- Protein structure, enzymes, and enzyme kinetics
- Metabolism and metabolic regulation
- Nucleic acids, genetics, and gene expression
- Lab techniques (protein purification, spectroscopy, chromatography, molecular cloning)
- Calculus, physics, and biostatistics
Where each major leads
The federal CIP–SOC crosswalk maps each academic program to the occupations it is designed to feed. Comparing the two lists shows where Biology and Biochemistry converge and where they part. Every wage below is the BLS 2024 national median for that occupation — not an outcome for the major, and not a starting salary.
Mapped to both (4)
Occupations the federal crosswalk associates with both programs.
$161,180 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to grow 3.7% 2024–2034.
$49,430 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Associate's degree. Employment is projected to grow 4.8% 2024–2034.
$52,000 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to grow 3.5% 2024–2034.
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary
$83,460 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Doctoral or professional degree. Employment is projected to grow 7.3% 2024–2034.
Mapped to Biology only (5)
The crosswalk associates these with Biology but not with Biochemistry. Graduates of either major are still hired into many of them.
Biological Scientists, All Other
$93,330 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to grow 1.2% 2024–2034.
$87,800 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to grow 3.7% 2024–2034.
$46,790 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Associate's degree. Employment is projected to grow 4.3% 2024–2034.
$67,440 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to grow 12.8% 2024–2034.
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
$64,580 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to decline 1.6% 2024–2034.
Mapped to Biochemistry only (2)
The crosswalk associates these with Biochemistry but not with Biology. Graduates of either major are still hired into many of them.
$103,650 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Doctoral or professional degree. Employment is projected to grow 5.8% 2024–2034.
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
$100,590 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Doctoral or professional degree. Employment is projected to grow 8.7% 2024–2034.
A major does not restrict you to these occupations, and plenty of graduates work outside them. The mapping describes what each program is built to prepare you for.
Which one tends to suit which student
This part is CampusPin’s judgement, not a measurement. Neither major is better; they suit different temperaments.
Biology may fit if…
You are still deciding between ecology, physiology, genetics, or pre-health, and you want a broad foundation before committing.
Biochemistry may fit if…
You already know the molecular level is what interests you, and you are willing to take organic and physical chemistry seriously to work there.
Commonly misunderstood
Biochemistry maps federally to biochemist and medical-scientist occupations that biology does not, but those roles typically require a doctorate. At the bachelor's level the two majors' destinations look far more similar than the course lists do.
What to ask each department
Curricula vary far more between institutions than between these two majors. These questions surface the differences that actually matter for this choice.
- 1How many semesters of organic and physical chemistry does the biochemistry degree require beyond the biology sequence?
- 2Which major do medical school applicants from this institution more commonly take, and does either affect prerequisite coverage?
- 3How early can I join a research lab in each department?
- 4If I start in biology, how late can I switch to biochemistry without adding a semester?
How this comparison was built
The occupation lists come from the official NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk, which maps each academic program to the occupations it prepares students for. CampusPin intersects the two programs’ lists to show the shared and distinct destinations; the grouping is arithmetic on a federal dataset, not an editorial ranking.
Wages, projected employment change, and typical entry-level education come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and are attached to the occupation, not to the major. A median is the midpoint for everyone in that occupation nationally, including people with decades of experience, so it is not a starting salary and not a promise.
The “which one tends to suit which student” and “what to ask” sections are editorial judgement, labelled as such. CampusPin does not rank majors and takes no position on which is worth more.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between a Biology and a Biochemistry major?
- Biology covers living systems across every scale, from molecules to ecosystems, and lets you specialize late. Biochemistry narrows early to the chemistry of life — proteins, metabolism, and molecular mechanism — with a substantially heavier chemistry and physical-chemistry load.
- Do Biology and Biochemistry lead to the same jobs?
- Partly. The federal CIP–SOC crosswalk maps both programs to 4 of the same occupations — including Natural Sciences Managers, Food Science Technicians, Biological Technicians. It also maps 5 occupations to Biology that it does not map to Biochemistry, and 2 to Biochemistry that it does not map to Biology. A degree is not a restriction — graduates work outside these lists routinely — but the mapping shows where each program is designed to lead.
- Which pays more, Biology or Biochemistry?
- CampusPin does not publish a "higher-paying major" answer, because the data does not support one. BLS reports median wages by OCCUPATION, not by college major, and both of these majors lead to a range of occupations that overlap. The per-occupation medians on this page are the honest version of that question: compare the specific roles you are actually interested in, and remember that pay varies widely by employer, region, and experience.
- Is there anything commonly misunderstood about choosing between Biology and Biochemistry?
- Biochemistry maps federally to biochemist and medical-scientist occupations that biology does not, but those roles typically require a doctorate. At the bachelor's level the two majors' destinations look far more similar than the course lists do.
Read the full major guides
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Data sources & methodology
Academic classifications, occupation mappings, and wage figures for Biology and Biochemistry come from federal datasets committed to this site.
Sources used across this page
Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.
NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020)
Official academic program taxonomy: the code, title, and definition shown for each major.
NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 Crosswalk
The federal mapping from academic programs to occupations. Determines which occupations each major is shown as leading to.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook
Median annual wage, projected employment change, and typical entry-level education for every occupation named.
IPEDS / NCES College Navigator
Federal enrollment, admissions, tuition, retention, and program data. Released annually with a 1–2 year lag.
Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.
Suggested citation
CampusPin. Biology vs Biochemistry: How to Choose a Major. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/compare-majors/biology-vs-biochemistry