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Medicinal chemist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a medicinal chemist. Medicinal chemists usually study chemistry, pharmacy, or biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology. 60% of medicinal chemists hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 125 real medicinal chemist resumes to see exactly what medicinal chemist education sections show.
The most common colleges for medicinal chemists are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
There are also many online medicinal chemist courses to help get the education required to be a medicinal chemist.
What education do you need to become a medicinal chemist?
What degree do you need to be a medicinal chemist?
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Doctorate, 22%
- Master's, 18%
What should I major in to become a medicinal chemist?
Most common colleges for medicinal chemists
| Medicinal chemist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 10.00% |
| Cairn University | 6.67% |
| University of California, Berkeley | 6.67% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 6.67% |
| University of the Sciences | 6.67% |
Best majors for medicinal chemists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemistry | 72.8% |
| 2 | Pharmacy | 6.1% |
| 3 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 4.4% |
| 4 | General Education, Specific Areas | 1.8% |
| 5 | Materials Sciences | 1.8% |
Best colleges for medicinal chemists
The best colleges for medicinal chemists are Columbia University in the City of New York, Vanderbilt University, and Northwestern University.
A medicinal 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 medicinal 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 medicinal chemists.
1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
4. SUNY at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,099
Enrollment
21,404
5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
6. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
7. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
10. University of California - San Diego
La Jolla, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,167
Enrollment
30,279
20 best online courses for medicinal chemists
Advertising disclosure
1. Drug Discovery
The University of California San Diego, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Drug Discovery course brings you lectures from both faculty and industry experts. With this course, recorded on campus at UCSD, we seek to share our access to top people in the field who bring an unprecedented range of expertise on drug discovery. In this course you will learn the drug discovery process up to the filing of an Initial New Drug Application or IND. Each week you will learn the steps that...
2. Drug Development
The University of California San Diego, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Drug Development course brings you lectures from both faculty and industry experts. With this course, recorded on campus at UCSD, we seek to share our access to top people in the field who bring an unprecedented range of expertise on drug development. In this course you will learn the different stages of clinical development as well as the regulatory including but not limited to, an Investigational New...
3. Introduction to Cheminformatics and medicinal chemistry
Understand the underlying chemistry of drug development and use free softwares to analyze molecules...
4. Certificate Course in Drug Regulatory Affairs (DRA)
Pharma course (NDA, ANDA, CTD, DMF, USFDA, Regulatory strategy, GMP, Clinical Research, Orange Book, Pharmaceuticals)...
5. Drug Development Product Management
Pharmaceutical and biotech companies are spending years and millions of dollars developing drugs or promising new biologics, all with the hopes of saving or enhancing patients’ lives. This specialization will provide you with a 30,000 feet view of the entire process of drug discovery and development. In the first course you will begin with learning how scientists go from selecting a drug discovery target to filing an Initial New Drug application. In the second course you will learn the...
6. Drug Commercialization
The University of California San Diego, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Drug Commercialization course brings you lectures from both faculty and industry experts. With this course, recorded on campus at UCSD, we seek to share our access to top people in the field who bring an unprecedented range of expertise on drug commercialization. This course will cover pharmacoeconomic, marketing strategy, intellectual property strategy, portfolio management, managed markets and...
7. Pharmaceutical Industry Drug Regulatory Affairs (DRA)
Empowering Professionals in the Pharmaceutical Industry: A Comprehensive Online Course in Drug Regulatory Affairs...
8. Doctor of Natural Medicine
This course is a mini encyclopedia in natural medicine field...
9. Case Studies in Personalized Medicine
Learn how advances in biomedicine hold the potential to revolutionize drug development, drug treatments, and disease prevention: where are we now, and what does the future hold? This course will present short primers in genetics and mechanisms underlying variability in drug responses. A series of case studies will be used to illustrate principles of how genetics are being brought to bear on refining diagnoses and on personalizing treatment in rare and common diseases. The ethical and...
10. Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Advanced Diploma
A complete program in one course, This Diploma is an Encyclopedia in The Natural Medicine field...
11. Certificate Course in Pharmacovigilance
Drug safety, Drug development and discovery, ICSR , Adverse events, Global guidelines, Med DRA, PV Audits...
12. Organic Chemistry: Spectroscopy Master Class
Gain confidence in NMR (1H and 13C), IR, and MS with guided practice problems...
13. Introduction to Longevity Medicine
A Medical Guide to Longevity Medicine for Physicians...
14. Fully Accredited Certificate in Natural Medicine & Herbalism
An Introduction to Natural Medicine and Herbalism Learn how to use these skills for yourself and others...
15. Dr. K's Complete First Semester General Chemistry I Course
A Course to Prepare You for College Level General Chemistry...
16. Pharma Drug Regulatory Affairs Certificate Course - DRA 2023
DRA, Orange book, USFDA, e CTD, CTD, INDA, NDA, ANDA, DMF, ICH, Software Demo, RA Jobs, Quiz, Pharma Skills, Updated 2023...
17. Chemistry 101 - Part 1 Principles of Chemistry
An introductory course for anybody who wants to study chemistry - either towards future pathways or just for fun!...
18. The Pharmaceutical R & D Process in Healthcare
Learn about clinical trials, drug regulations, biotech products, generics, marketing and more. *Biotech Update! 1/22*...
19. Herbalism:: Introduction & Medicine Making Certificate
Take charge of your health with herbal medicine. Using herbs and natural holistic medicine is easy, effective and safe...
20. Herbalism:: Growing Top Medicinal Plants Certificate
Growing your own herbal medicine is easy and allows you to have quick access to medicinal plants when you need them...
Top 10 most affordable universities for medicinal chemists
The most affordable schools for medicinal chemists are University of Florida, florida state university, and university of north carolina at chapel hill.
If the best universities for medicinal 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 medicinal chemists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
4. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
5. University of Missouri - Kansas City
Kansas City, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$8,178
Cost of attendance
20,934
6. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
7. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
9. York College of the City University of New York
Jamaica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,158
Cost of attendance
14,204
10. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for medicinal chemists
The hardest universities for medicinal chemists to get into are Columbia University in the City of New York, Vanderbilt University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for medicinal 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 medicinal 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. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
2. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
7. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
10. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for medicinal chemists
The easiest schools for medicinal chemists to get into are D'Youville College, university of the incarnate word, and mount saint mary's university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a medicinal 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 medicinal chemists.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
2. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
3. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
4. Notre Dame of Maryland University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,069
5. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
7. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
8. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
9. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
10. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
Average medicinal chemist salary by education level
| Medicinal chemist education level | Medicinal chemist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $68,995 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $58,746 |
| Doctorate Degree | $82,822 |
Medicinal chemist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025