Best institutions to study Biochemistry
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.
593 U.S. institutions graduated 10,036 Biochemistry students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 26.0202, a specialization of Biochemistry (CIP 26.02), and leads most directly to the Biochemists and Biophysicists occupation (BLS SOC 19-1021).
About Biochemistry programs
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.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Biochemistry program focuses on the scientific study of the chemistry of living systems, exploring fundamental chemical substances, reactions, and pathways. This program is ideal for students interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern biological processes, particularly in relation to carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.
Students will gain knowledge in bio-organic chemistry, protein chemistry, and enzymology, among other areas. Core skills include critical thinking, active learning, and effective communication, preparing graduates for advanced research and practical applications in the field of biochemistry.
Credentials awarded
What Biochemistry graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree9,224 graduates / yr · 546 institutions92%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship469 graduates / yr · 76 institutions4.7%
- Master's degree307 graduates / yr · 55 institutions3.1%
- Associate's degree28 graduates / yr · 12 institutions0.3%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate7 graduates / yr · 2 institutions0.1%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.0%
Graduates over time
Biochemistry completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 7,415 |
| 2013 | 7,904 |
| 2014 | 8,153 |
| 2015 | 8,499 |
| 2016 | 9,284 |
| 2017 | 9,585 |
| 2018 | 9,751 |
| 2019 | 9,743 |
| 2020 | 9,799 |
| 2021 | 10,098 |
| 2022 | 9,940 |
| 2023 | 9,793 |
| 2024 | 9,536 |
| 2025 | 10,036 |
Top 50 institutions for Biochemistry, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 295 | 85% | — | $38,985 |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TXPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 287 | 89% | — | $33,846 |
| 3 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CAPublicBachelor's | 224 | 86% | — | $45,066 |
| 4 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAPublicBachelor's | 216 | 93% | — | $35,210 |
| 5 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 196 | 68% | — | $43,333 |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WIPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 174 | 90% | — | $44,074 |
| 7 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZPublicBachelor's | 131 | 0% | — | $43,333 |
| 8 | University of California - Riverside Riverside, CAPublicBachelor's | 123 | 76% | — | $30,077 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PAPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 119 | 86% | — | $43,288 |
| 10 | Northeastern University Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 118 | 91% | $18,925 | $63,781 |
| 11 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VAPublicBachelor's | 118 | 86% | — | $35,927 |
| 12 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OHPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 107 | 88% | — | $36,427 |
| 13 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 101 | 93% | — | $26,151 |
| 14 | Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NYPublicBachelor's | 100 | 76% | — | $29,649 |
| 15 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MNPublicBachelor's | 94 | 85% | — | $37,830 |
| 16 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FLPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 93 | 84% | $26,589 | $21,666 |
| 17 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 91 | 84% | — | $28,338 |
| 18 | University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NEPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 86 | 67% | — | $33,520 |
| 19 | Baylor University Waco, TXPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 86 | 80% | $35,682 | $30,496 |
| 20 | Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MSPublicBachelor's | 82 | 67% | — | $30,565 |
| 21 | Binghamton University Vestal, NYPublicBachelor's | 82 | 82% | — | $41,305 |
| 22 | University of Houston Houston, TXPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 82 | 65% | — | $34,648 |
| 23 | Clemson University Clemson, SCPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 79 | 87% | — | $28,120 |
| 24 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LAPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 78 | 69% | — | — |
| 25 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NCPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 77 | 85% | — | $44,101 |
| 26 | Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OHPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 77 | 87% | $27,976 | $22,390 |
| 27 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 76 | 68% | — | $35,607 |
| 28 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FLPublicBachelor's | 76 | 86% | — | $31,074 |
| 29 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MDPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoral | 75 | 94% | $11,888 | — |
| 30 | University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MOPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 71 | 75% | — | $40,492 |
| 31 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, COPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 70 | 74% | — | $50,474 |
| 32 | University of New Mexico - Main Campus Albuquerque, NMPublicBachelor's | 69 | 55% | — | $23,648 |
| 33 | University of Mississippi University, MSPublicBachelor'sPost-degree cert.Doctoral | 66 | 72% | — | $24,972 |
| 34 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UTPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 65 | 65% | — | — |
| 35 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CAPublicBachelor's | 64 | 70% | — | $38,869 |
| 36 | Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GAPublicBachelor's | 62 | 94% | — | $25,623 |
| 37 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, ILPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 62 | 85% | — | — |
| 38 | Texas Tech University Lubbock, TXPublicBachelor's | 61 | 69% | — | $32,027 |
| 39 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, INPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 60 | 83% | — | $41,625 |
| 40 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, ILPublicBachelor's | 58 | 62% | — | $34,308 |
| 41 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 58 | 75% | — | $29,991 |
| 42 | The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TXPublicBachelor's | 56 | 76% | — | $30,207 |
| 43 | Utah State University Logan, UTPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 55 | 59% | — | $42,236 |
| 44 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 54 | 69% | — | $36,841 |
| 45 | Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, COPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 53 | 67% | — | $38,484 |
| 46 | University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NVPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 51 | 61% | — | $33,983 |
| 47 | Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, INPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 50 | 80% | — | $45,526 |
| 48 | University of Kansas Lawrence, KSPublicBachelor's | 48 | 69% | — | $41,487 |
| 49 | Florida International University Miami, FLPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 47 | 74% | — | — |
| 50 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MDPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 47 | 89% | — | $48,721 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Biochemistry field (CIP 26.02) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 51 states & territories
Where Biochemistry graduates come from. Each state links to all Biochemistry programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-1021, Biochemists and Biophysicists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Biochemistry program can pursue careers as biochemists and biophysicists, with a median wage of $103,650. The job outlook is favorable, with a growth rate of 5.8% and approximately 2,900 annual openings, typically requiring a doctoral or professional degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 26.0202
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Biochemists and Biophysicistsprimary SOC 19-1021 | $127,410 | +5.8% Faster than average | ~2,900 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists SOC 19-1042 | $103,410 | +8.7% Much faster than average | ~9,600 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Biological Technicians SOC 19-4021 | $57,510 | +3.5% About as fast as average | ~9,100 | Bachelor's degree |
Natural Sciences Managers SOC 11-9121 | $167,220 | +3.7% About as fast as average | ~8,500 | Bachelor's degree |
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1042 | $84,620 | +7.3% Faster than average | ~5,400 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Food Science Technicians SOC 19-4013 | $52,130 | +4.8% About as fast as average | ~3,200 | Associate's degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Biochemistry programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
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.
Tools and technology used
Other Biochemistry specializations
The 9 other 6-digit CIP codes under Biochemistry (CIP 26.02).
- Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyCIP 26.02101,607 graduates / yr98 institutions
- Molecular BiologyCIP 26.02041,352 graduates / yr75 institutions
- Molecular BiochemistryCIP 26.0205494 graduates / yr18 institutions
- BiochemistryCIP 26.0299330 graduates / yr21 institutions
- BiophysicsCIP 26.0203266 graduates / yr52 institutions
- Molecular BiophysicsCIP 26.0206partial data207 graduates / yr4 institutions
- Radiation Biology/CIP 26.0209
Radiobiology partial data25 graduates / yr5 institutions - Structural BiologyCIP 26.0207limited data17 graduates / yr2 institutions
Show 1 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Photobiology26.0208
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degree can I earn in Biochemistry?+
You can earn a Bachelor's degree, with options for Master's and Doctoral degrees.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in science, critical thinking, and effective communication.
What careers can I pursue with a Biochemistry degree?+
You can work as a biochemist, medical scientist, or biological technician, among other roles.
What is the job outlook for biochemists?+
The job outlook is faster than average, with a growth rate of 5.8%.
What is the CIP code for Biochemistry?+
Biochemistry is CIP 26.0202 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Biochemistry (CIP 26.02). NCES defines it as: 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.
How many institutions offer Biochemistry programs?+
593 U.S. institutions reported Biochemistry graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 51 states & territories, awarding 10,036 credentials in the year. That is 70.0% of all Biochemistry graduates.
How much do Biochemistry graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Biochemists and Biophysicists occupation, which Biochemistry most directly leads to, pays a median of $127,410 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Biochemistry field report median earnings of $38,487 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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