Major decision guide
Biology vs Chemistry
Biology studies living systems; chemistry studies matter and its transformations. The practical difference for a student is where the reasoning sits: biology asks you to hold complex systems with many interacting parts in view, while chemistry runs heavier on quantitative physical reasoning and precise laboratory technique.
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 40.0501
Chemistry
Official title: Chemistry, General · Family: physical sciences
A general program that focuses on the scientific study of the composition and behavior of matter, including its micro- and macro-structure, the processes of chemical change, and the theoretical description and laboratory simulation of these phenomena.
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)
Chemistry
- General, organic, inorganic, analytical, and physical chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Spectroscopy and instrumental analysis
- Quantum chemistry and thermodynamics
- Lab techniques (synthesis, NMR, mass spec, chromatography)
- Calculus, differential equations, physics
- Senior research thesis
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 Chemistry 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.
$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 Biology only (5)
The crosswalk associates these with Biology but not with Chemistry. 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.
$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 Chemistry only (3)
The crosswalk associates these with Chemistry but not with Biology. Graduates of either major are still hired into many of them.
$84,150 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to grow 4.9% 2024–2034.
$57,790 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Associate's degree. Employment is projected to grow 3.7% 2024–2034.
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary
$86,220 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Doctoral or professional degree. Employment is projected to grow 2.2% 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 drawn to organisms, ecosystems, or health, and you like reasoning about systems whose behavior emerges from many interacting parts.
Chemistry may fit if…
You like precise, reproducible laboratory work and the mathematics behind reactions, and explaining a mechanism appeals to you more than mapping a system.
Commonly misunderstood
Both are common pre-health majors and share forensic-science and science-teaching occupations federally. Chemistry maps to chemist and chemical-technician roles biology does not; biology maps to a wider set of life-science and technician roles.
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 much laboratory time per week does each major require, and is instrument access hands-on or demonstration-only?
- 2Is the chemistry program approved by the American Chemical Society, and would I graduate with an ACS-certified degree? Note this is a professional society's program approval, not accreditation.
- 3Which major better covers my prerequisites if I am considering health professions?
- 4What undergraduate research is available in each department, and when can I start?
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 Chemistry major?
- Biology studies living systems; chemistry studies matter and its transformations. The practical difference for a student is where the reasoning sits: biology asks you to hold complex systems with many interacting parts in view, while chemistry runs heavier on quantitative physical reasoning and precise laboratory technique.
- Do Biology and Chemistry 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, Forensic Science Technicians. It also maps 5 occupations to Biology that it does not map to Chemistry, and 3 to Chemistry 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 Chemistry?
- 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 Chemistry?
- Both are common pre-health majors and share forensic-science and science-teaching occupations federally. Chemistry maps to chemist and chemical-technician roles biology does not; biology maps to a wider set of life-science and technician roles.
Read the full major guides
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Data sources & methodology
Academic classifications, occupation mappings, and wage figures for Biology and Chemistry 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 Chemistry: How to Choose a Major. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/compare-majors/biology-vs-chemistry