Best institutions to study Biochemistry
Compare 711 U.S. colleges offering Biochemistry by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 52 states.
Biochemistry programs report a median of $38,436 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 26.02 and the Biochemists and Biophysicists occupation (BLS SOC).
About Biochemistry programs
The Biochemistry program, officially titled Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, focuses on the chemical processes that occur within living organisms. This interdisciplinary field combines principles from both chemistry and biology, making it ideal for students interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms that underpin life. Students will explore various specializations, including structural biology, enzymology, and metabolism.
In this program, you will develop essential skills in science, critical thinking, and effective communication. Coursework typically covers biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics, equipping you with the knowledge to conduct research and analyze complex biological processes.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northeastern University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $63,781 | 125 | 91% | $18,925 | $23,250 |
| 2 | California State University - San Marcos San Marcos, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $57,682 | 37 | 55% | — | $16,666 |
| 3 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $57,538 | 39 | 86% | — | $17,500 |
| 4 | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $51,942 | 35 | 62% | $35,358 | $27,000 |
| 5 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $50,474 | 70 | 74% | — | $20,185 |
| 6 | California State University - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $50,428 | 34 | 53% | — | $16,730 |
| 7 | University of Massachusetts - Boston Boston, MA Public · Bachelor's degree | $50,352 | 26 | 49% | — | $24,996 |
| 8 | University of Missouri - St Louis Saint Louis, MO Public · Bachelor's degree | $49,509 | 26 | 57% | — | $27,316 |
| 9 | University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $49,100 | 88 | 83% | — | $9,500 |
| 10 | University of San Diego San Diego, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $48,728 | 16 | 84% | $26,035 | $27,500 |
| 11 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,721 | 50 | 89% | — | $19,500 |
| 12 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,348 | 18 | 75% | — | $19,000 |
| 13 | University of Delaware Newark, DE Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,912 | 15 | 81% | — | $25,334 |
| 14 | Brandeis University Waltham, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $47,410 | 32 | 86% | $25,074 | $27,000 |
| 15 | University of New Hampshire - Main Campus Durham, NH Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,236 | 34 | 76% | — | $27,000 |
| 16 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,689 | 23 | 56% | — | $16,500 |
| 17 | Stevenson University Owings Mills, MD Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $46,637 | 16 | 68% | $26,556 | $26,750 |
| 18 | Washington State University Pullman, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,514 | 48 | 60% | — | $22,500 |
| 19 | University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,155 | 19 | 51% | — | $23,850 |
| 20 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,122 | 67 | 84% | — | $24,250 |
| 21 | Temple University Philadelphia, PA Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,994 | 22 | 75% | — | $25,500 |
| 22 | Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,799 | 14 | 32% | — | — |
| 23 | Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,599 | 36 | 91% | $29,107 | — |
| 24 | Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,526 | 69 | 80% | — | $23,000 |
| 25 | California State University - Northridge Northridge, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,453 | 21 | 57% | — | — |
| 26 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,066 | 249 | 86% | — | $17,500 |
| 27 | Texas State University San Marcos, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,824 | 40 | 55% | — | $22,750 |
| 28 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,442 | 19 | 79% | $34,418 | — |
| 29 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MA Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,324 | 140 | 83% | — | $25,916 |
| 30 | CUNY City College New York, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,175 | 23 | 57% | — | — |
| 31 | Middlebury College Middlebury, VT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,142 | 42 | 91% | $20,918 | $13,435 |
| 32 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,101 | 77 | 85% | — | $23,028 |
| 33 | Colgate University Hamilton, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,089 | 49 | 91% | $22,903 | $15,350 |
| 34 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,074 | 278 | 90% | — | $20,948 |
| 35 | University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,936 | 9 | 49% | — | $24,225 |
| 36 | Brown University Providence, RI Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,637 | 45 | 96% | $14,644 | $12,787 |
| 37 | Iowa State University Ames, IA Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,520 | 27 | 75% | — | $19,477 |
| 38 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,333 | 221 | 68% | — | $20,250 |
| 39 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZ Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,333 | 132 | 0% | — | $20,250 |
| 40 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PA Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,288 | 119 | 86% | — | $26,178 |
| 41 | California State University - Chico Chico, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,886 | 10 | 63% | — | $23,000 |
| 42 | Boston University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,850 | 131 | 89% | $21,956 | $26,000 |
| 43 | Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,474 | 25 | 91% | $21,126 | $19,000 |
| 44 | University of California - Davis Davis, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,266 | 208 | 86% | — | $11,208 |
| 45 | Utah State University Logan, UT Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,236 | 55 | 59% | — | $16,750 |
| 46 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,200 | 68 | 87% | — | — |
| 47 | Western Washington University Bellingham, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,025 | 39 | 65% | — | $20,942 |
| 48 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,848 | 100 | 98% | $13,729 | — |
| 49 | Central Connecticut State University New Britain, CT Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,790 | 38 | 48% | — | $23,250 |
| 50 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,625 | 73 | 83% | — | $18,540 |
Offered across 52 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-1021, Biochemists and Biophysicists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Biochemistry program can expect a promising career outlook, with a projected job growth rate of 5.8% and approximately 2,900 annual openings. Many positions in this field require a doctoral or professional degree, and the median wage for biochemists is around $103,650.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Biochemistry
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 26.02.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 26.02 (Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology) maps to 8 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11-9121 | Natural Sciences Managers |
| 19-1021 | Biochemists and Biophysicistsprimary |
| 19-1022 | Microbiologists |
| 19-1029 | Biological Scientists, All Other |
| 19-1042 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists |
| 19-4013 | Food Science Technicians |
| 19-4021 | Biological Technicians |
| 25-1042 | Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Biochemistry programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Share research findings by writing scientific articles or by making presentations at scientific conferences.
- Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research.
- Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy, applying methods and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology.
- Manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work.
- Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes.
- Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research.
Concentrations within Biochemistry
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- BiochemistryCIP 26.0202
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, wi
- BiophysicsCIP 26.0203
A program that focuses on the application of physics principles to the scientific study of the mechanisms of biological processes and assemblies at all levels of complexity
- Molecular BiologyCIP 26.0204
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the structure and function of biological macromolecules and the role of molecular constituents and mechanisms in supramolecular assemblies and cells
- Molecular BiochemistryCIP 26.0205
A program that focuses on the scientific relationship of physiological function to the structure and actions of macromolecules and supramolecular assemblies such as multienzyme complexes, membranes, a
- Molecular BiophysicsCIP 26.0206
A scientific program that focuses on the dynamics and interactions of macromolecules and other three-dimensional ultrastructures, the architecture of supramolecular structures, and energy transfer in
- Structural BiologyCIP 26.0207
A program that focuses on the scientific study of submolecular and molecular components and assemblies of living systems and how they are organized into functional units such as cells and anatomic tis
- PhotobiologyCIP 26.0208
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the effects of light energy on living organisms, the manufacture and processing of luminescence by organisms, and the uses of light in biological rese
- Radiation Biology/RadiobiologyCIP 26.0209
A program that focuses on the effects of radiation on organisms and biological systems
- Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyCIP 26.0210
A program of study that combines the biological sub-disciplines of biochemistry and molecular biology
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, OtherCIP 26.0299
Any instructional program in biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology not listed above.
Common questions
What is biochemistry?+
Biochemistry is the study of chemical processes within living organisms, integrating concepts from both chemistry and biology.
What specializations are available in this program?+
Specializations include Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology, and Structural Biology, among others.
What skills will I learn in this program?+
You will develop skills in science, critical thinking, writing, and effective communication.
What are the career prospects for biochemistry graduates?+
The field offers strong job growth, with a median wage of $103,650 and many positions requiring a doctoral degree.
How much do Biochemistry graduates earn?+
Biochemistry graduates report median earnings of $38,436 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the Biochemists and Biophysicists occupation pays about $129,840 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Biochemistry?+
Biochemistry maps to CIP 26.02 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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