Chemistry major

Chemistry: courses, careers, and where to study

Chemistry studies matter and its transformations, preparing graduates for pharmaceutical, materials, energy, environmental, and biotech careers, plus medical and graduate school.

A Chemistry major covers general, organic, inorganic, analytical, and physical chemistry. Most BS programs require additional math (calculus, differential equations) and physics, plus extensive lab work. ACS-certified programs meet the American Chemical Society standard for graduate-school readiness. Common concentrations include Biochemistry, Materials, Environmental, and Forensic.

Chemistry graduates work in pharmaceutical R&D, materials science, energy, environmental analysis, forensic labs, and medical school. The major pairs naturally with Biology (for biochemistry and pre-med) or Physics (for materials).

Academic classification (CIP)

In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Chemistry maps to CIP 40.0501, Chemistry, General, within the PHYSICAL SCIENCES family. The official definition:

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.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov

What you'll study

  • 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

Typical careers

Typical salary range: $54,000–$78,000 early-career (BLS chemist median $84,150)Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.

Related occupations

Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Chemistry. Linked titles open a CampusPin career page with BLS pay and outlook data; others are listed for reference.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Crosswalk: CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. A program of study does not guarantee any specific occupation.

Before you commit to a Chemistry major

CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Chemistry program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.

Ask the Chemistry department

  • Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
  • What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
  • What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
  • Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?

Ask current students & check the curriculum

  • How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
  • What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
  • Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
  • How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Accreditation & licensure: Most Chemistry programs are covered by their institution's regional accreditation; specialized programmatic accreditation is less common in this field. Confirm any field-specific accreditation or licensure that matters for your goals.
Degree level & graduate study: Many Chemistrycareers are open with a bachelor's degree, but some, such as research, advanced-practice, or licensure-track roles, require a master's or doctorate. Check the typical entry-level education on each linked career page above before assuming a bachelor's is enough.

Find a Chemistry program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges that offer Chemistry programs. Filter by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.

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Related majors

How this guide is sourced

This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.