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Principal chemist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a principal chemist. Principal chemists usually study chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, or biology. 73% of principal chemists hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 119 real principal chemist resumes to see exactly what principal chemist education sections show.
The most common colleges for principal chemists are the Southern Connecticut State University and the Southern Connecticut State University.
There are also many online principal chemist courses to help get the education required to be a principal chemist.
What education do you need to become a principal chemist?
What degree do you need to be a principal chemist?
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Doctorate, 13%
- Master's, 10%
- Associate, 3%
What should I major in to become a principal chemist?
Most common colleges for principal chemists
| Principal chemist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Southern Connecticut State University | 7.14% |
| Purdue University | 7.14% |
| University of California - Davis | 7.14% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 7.14% |
| University of Southern California | 7.14% |
Best majors for principal chemists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemistry | 63.0% |
| 2 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 6.5% |
| 3 | Biology | 5.6% |
| 4 | Chemical Engineering | 3.7% |
| 5 | Behavioral Sciences | 2.8% |
Best colleges for principal chemists
The best colleges for principal chemists are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
A principal 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 principal 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 principal 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 California - San Diego
La Jolla, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,167
Enrollment
30,279
4. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
5. SUNY at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,099
Enrollment
21,404
6. Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$47,646
Enrollment
2,924
7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
8. Washington State University
Pullman, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,584
Enrollment
25,675
9. North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$9,414
Enrollment
11,182
10. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
20 best online courses for principal chemists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for principal chemists
The most affordable schools for principal chemists are University of Florida, florida state university, and university of north carolina at chapel hill.
If the best universities for principal 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 principal 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. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
6. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. University of Missouri - Kansas City
Kansas City, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$8,178
Cost of attendance
20,934
9. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
10. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for principal chemists
The hardest universities for principal chemists to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for principal 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 principal 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for principal chemists
The easiest schools for principal 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 principal 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 principal 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. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
6. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
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. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
10. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
Average principal chemist salary by education level
| Principal chemist education level | Principal chemist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $77,863 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $67,416 |
| Doctorate Degree | $91,707 |
Principal chemist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025