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Major · Biological & Biomedical Sciences

The molecular machinery behind how living systems work

Biochemistry studies the chemistry of life — the proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids that carry out biological functions, and the reactions and signaling pathways that regulate them. About 8,700 degrees are awarded annually across 613 colleges, predominantly at the bachelor's level. The majority of high-earning career paths in this field require graduate education.

Schools offering
613
Annual completions
8,736
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$66k

About this major

Biochemistry sits at the intersection of two demanding disciplines — biology and chemistry — with a specific focus on the molecular mechanisms that make living systems function. The CIP definition frames it as the scientific study of the chemistry of living systems: the fundamental chemical substances and reactions they depend on, and the pathways through which they process energy, replicate genetic information, and respond to their environment. Instruction covers bio-organic chemistry, enzymology, protein chemistry, metabolism, and molecular biology, alongside laboratory methods including bioseparations, calorimetry, and the tools of modern molecular research.

The curriculum typically begins with a parallel track of general chemistry and general biology, then merges into organic chemistry and genetics before the upper-division biochemistry sequence brings the two threads together explicitly. Laboratory work is constant throughout — biochemistry programs assume you'll develop hands-on fluency with techniques like gel electrophoresis, spectrophotometry, PCR, and cell culture alongside the lecture material. Students who struggle to hold chemical and biological frameworks simultaneously tend to find the upper-division work harder than those who are drawn to both disciplines from the start.

Career paths from this major split sharply by degree level. With a bachelor's alone, the primary accessible roles are biological technician ($52,000 median wage) and food science technician ($49,430). The field's higher-earning destinations — biochemists and biophysicists at $103,650, medical scientists at $100,590, and natural sciences managers at $161,180 — list doctoral or professional degrees as the typical credential. That pattern shapes how most students approach the degree: as a foundation for medical school, pharmacy school, graduate research programs, or professional doctoral training. About 8,700 biochemistry degrees are awarded annually across 613 colleges, with the largest programs concentrated at research universities.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists $101k +8.7% Doctoral or professional degree
Natural sciences managers $161k +3.7% Bachelor's degree
Biological technicians $52k +3.5% Bachelor's degree
Biological science teachers, postsecondary $83k +7.3% Doctoral or professional degree
Biochemists and biophysicists $104k +5.8% Doctoral or professional degree
Food science technicians $49k +4.8% Associate's degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$66k

Who this major is for

You may thrive here if you find yourself drawn to understanding biology at the chemical level — if questions about how enzymes catalyze reactions, how cells convert nutrients to energy, or how mutations alter protein function feel more interesting than questions about organism-level ecology or anatomy. You may also fit well here if you're already planning on graduate or professional school, since the bachelor's in this field functions primarily as a pre-professional credential: the career ceiling with only a bachelor's degree (biological technician at $52,000 median) is modest relative to the doctoral-level destinations ($100,000+), and most graduates in this field treat the undergraduate degree as preparation for further training. If you're pre-med, pre-pharmacy, or aiming for a PhD in a molecular science, the overlap with graduate prerequisites is real and meaningful.

Think twice if you're counting on the bachelor's alone to deliver strong immediate earnings — the five-year median across completers runs about $66,359, below many other STEM fields, because many graduates are still in training at that mark. Think twice also if your biological interest is more ecological, organismal, or health-services oriented — Biology General (83,000 completions per year) covers those angles more flexibly, and the career outcomes for graduates who don't pursue advanced degrees overlap substantially. And if the chemistry side of the curriculum sounds like an obstacle rather than a genuine interest, be honest about that: organic chemistry and physical chemistry are not optional components of this major, and students who are ambivalent about chemistry typically find the later biochemistry coursework difficult to engage with.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Biochemistry

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA 0 270 270
The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 0 267 267
University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 0 188 188
University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA 0 174 174
Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ 0 159 159
University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI 0 150 150
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA 0 114 114
Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH 0 114 114
University of California-Riverside Riverside, CA 0 111 111
Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY 0 101 101
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Biology/Biological Sciences, General

83,027 completions/yr

Chemistry, General

12,173 completions/yr

Neuroscience

9,625 completions/yr

Biomedical Sciences, General

6,553 completions/yr

Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology

5,770 completions/yr

Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology

3,392 completions/yr

Nutrition Sciences

3,240 completions/yr

Microbiology, General

2,120 completions/yr

Considering this direction?

We've taken a hard look at the debt, earnings trajectory, and degree-level tradeoffs for the Biochemistry field. Read our verdict before you commit.

Is Biochemistry worth it? Read verdict
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What do Biochemistry majors actually study day-to-day?
Expect a blend of biology and chemistry coursework from the first year — general chemistry and biology, then organic chemistry, cell biology, and genetics in the middle years, finishing with dedicated biochemistry sequences covering enzymology, metabolism, molecular biology, and laboratory techniques. Lab work is central: you'll run experiments with proteins, nucleic acids, and cellular systems and learn instrumentation like spectrophotometry, gel electrophoresis, and PCR. The curriculum rewards students who are comfortable with chemical mechanisms and biological systems simultaneously.
Does a bachelor's in Biochemistry lead directly to a good job?
The honest answer is: it depends on what you do next. Bachelor's completers in this field report median five-year earnings of about $66,359 — below the national bachelor's median — because the entry-level paths available with only a bachelor's (biological technician at $52,000 median, food science technician at $49,430) are modest relative to the field's high-ceiling roles. The careers most associated with biochemistry — biochemists and biophysicists ($103,650), medical scientists ($100,590), postsecondary teachers ($83,460) — all list a doctoral or professional degree as the typical credential. Many bachelor's completers use the degree as a foundation for medical, dental, pharmacy, or PhD programs.
What kinds of jobs do Biochemistry graduates end up in with just a bachelor's?
With a bachelor's alone, the most accessible roles are biological technician ($52,000 median, 3.5% projected growth) and food science technician ($49,430 median, 4.8% growth). Natural sciences manager ($161,180 median) lists a bachelor's as the typical credential, but that title reflects a management track that requires years of research experience first — it's not an entry-level destination. Research assistant and lab coordinator roles at biotech and pharmaceutical companies are also common, though these are not tracked separately in the BLS data here.
Is Biochemistry the right major if I want to go to medical school?
Biochemistry is one of the most natural pre-med tracks — the coursework overlaps heavily with medical school prerequisites and with MCAT content, particularly in metabolism, molecular biology, and cellular chemistry. It does not, however, guarantee admission or make the path easier than a Biology or Chemistry major would. All three majors cover the core prerequisites; the distinction is how deeply into chemical mechanisms you go. If the molecular and chemical side of medicine genuinely interests you, Biochemistry tends to provide stronger preparation for the biochemistry content on the MCAT and in first-year medical coursework.
How does Biochemistry compare to Biology or Chemistry as a major?
Biology/Biological Sciences is roughly ten times larger by enrollment — about 83,000 completions per year versus Biochemistry's 8,700 — and covers a broader range of biological sub-disciplines with less chemistry depth. Chemistry General has about 12,200 completions annually and provides deeper physical and analytical chemistry coverage but less biology. Biochemistry is the natural choice if you want the overlap zone specifically — if molecular mechanisms, protein function, and cellular chemistry are your focus. The career outcomes across all three are substantially similar, because the graduate programs and professional schools these majors feed into care more about your coursework and GPA than your exact major title.
What's a realistic earnings picture after a Biochemistry degree?
Five-year median earnings for bachelor's completers in this field run about $66,359 — this reflects the reality that many graduates are in graduate school, postdoctoral training, or early-career lab roles at that mark. The ceiling is high but deferred: biochemists and biophysicists reach a $103,650 median wage, medical scientists $100,590, and natural sciences managers $161,180 — but those titles typically require doctoral degrees and years of training past the bachelor's. If you pursue a PhD or professional degree, the earnings trajectory is strong; if you stop at the bachelor's, you're positioned for technician-level roles where earnings are more modest.