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Industrial chemist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an industrial chemist. Industrial chemists usually study chemistry, biology, or chemical engineering. 76% of industrial chemists hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 79 real industrial chemist resumes to see exactly what industrial chemist education sections show.
The most common colleges for industrial chemists are the Ohio State University and the Ohio State University.
There are also many online industrial chemist courses to help get the education required to be an industrial chemist.
What education do you need to become an industrial chemist?
What degree do you need to be an industrial chemist?
- Bachelor's, 76%
- Master's, 13%
- Associate, 6%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become an industrial chemist?
Most common colleges for industrial chemists
| Industrial chemist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Ohio State University | 8.70% |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 8.70% |
| University of Wisconsin Colleges | 8.70% |
| University of Houston | 4.35% |
| Eastern Michigan University | 4.35% |
Best majors for industrial chemists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemistry | 47.9% |
| 2 | Biology | 11.3% |
| 3 | Chemical Engineering | 8.5% |
| 4 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 4.2% |
| 5 | Physics | 4.2% |
Best colleges for industrial chemists
The best colleges for industrial chemists are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
An industrial chemist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for industrial chemists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become industrial chemists.
1. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
8. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
9. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
10. University of California - San Diego
La Jolla, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,167
Enrollment
30,279
20 best online courses for industrial chemists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for industrial chemists
The most affordable schools for industrial chemists are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for industrial chemists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for industrial chemists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
9. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
10. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for industrial chemists
The hardest universities for industrial chemists to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for industrial chemists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for industrial chemists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
5. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
8. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for industrial chemists
The easiest schools for industrial chemists to get into are D'Youville College, mount saint mary's university, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an industrial chemist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for industrial chemists.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
8. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
9. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
10. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
Average industrial chemist salary by education level
| Industrial chemist education level | Industrial chemist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $83,277 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $70,587 |
| Doctorate Degree | $100,480 |
Industrial chemist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025