Is biochemistry a "good" major?

College Majors Science Majors
1

<p>I've heard some people say that despite Biochem being a better major than biology or chemistry, its still not that great and that you can only get lowly technician jobs with it. Forbes, however lists Biochemistry as number 2 in its list of "most valuable majors" (#1 being Biomedical Engineering), listing the stats: </p>

<p>Starting Median Pay: $41,700
Mid-Career Median Pay: $84,700
Growth In Pay: 103%
Projected Job Growth: 30.8%</p>

<p>I am thinking of doing pre-med, but I want a good back up plan in case I don't go to medical school. So is biochemistry a "good" major to get? I go to UW Madison btw.</p>

2

<p>Starting out at $20/hr is kind of really sad for biochemistry median. You better really like what you do to accept that kind of pay for 4 years of education.</p>

3

<p>What are other majors that are better that is “compatible” with premed? And what are you majoring in/majored in, if I may ask?</p>

4

<p>I can say the going rate for a biochem major/lab tech is $12 to $18 per hour typically through a temp agency with no benefits. As a result, I believe those stats are inflated. Spend some time on Indeed looking at jobs with a Chemistry or Biochemistry degree. Also most people who major in science nowadays eventually end up leaving the field [>50%] so I think that median mid career pay is also misleading. That job growth I don’t believe for a second as salaries are not increasing as would be indicative of any significant rise in demand for the profession.</p>

<p>Biochem is great as a stepping stone to healtcare professional school but is useless in and of itself.</p>

5

<p>Another factor is most science jobs are in high cost of living areas NY/NJ MA/CT and CA where $40k and below is borderline poverty.</p>

6

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<p>Most majors can be done alongside pre-med courses. Biology is “convenient” in that most or all of the pre-med courses are included in the major, but you can major in something else and take the pre-med courses as breadth or free electives.</p>

<p><a href=“https://www.aamc.org/download/321496/data/2012factstable18.pdf[/url]”>https://www.aamc.org/download/321496/data/2012factstable18.pdf&lt;/a&gt; shows that medical school applicants and matriculants came from a variety of undergraduate majors. Although half were biology majors, that means that the other half were in other majors.</p>

<p>You can check <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/internships-careers-employment/1121619-university-graduate-career-surveys-5.html#post16559971[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/internships-careers-employment/1121619-university-graduate-career-surveys-5.html#post16559971&lt;/a&gt; to see how graduates in different majors at some schools did.</p>

7

<p>Here are the kind of jobs Chem/Biochem/BioS BS’s can expect</p>

<p>Analytical Chemist-Scientist (Quality Control / Chemistry)</p>

<p>Details
Location: IL - Lombard Job Type: Biotech
QA - Quality Control
Pharmaceutical
**Base Pay: $13.00 - $18.00 /Hour ** Required Education: 4 Year Degree
Bonus: Required Experience: 0 to 6 year(s)
Other: Required Travel: Not Specified
Employee Type: Full-Time Relocation Covered: Not Specified
Industry Consumer Products, Pharmaceutical, Food </p>

<p>Job ID: </p>

<p>Job Requirements</p>

<p>Analytical Chemist – Scientist (Quality Control / Chemistry)</p>

<p>Job Requirements</p>

<p>To be qualified for this Chemist position you must have wet chem, USP, HPLC, GC and cGMP experience in an industry related environment. We are looking for a Chemist who enjoys analytical chemistry and has strong analytical abilities and documentation skills.</p>

<p>Additional Chemist requirements:</p>

<p>A Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Pharmacy or related discipline; or its equivalent in training and experience</p>

<p>1 to 2 years of experience in Food and Beverage, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetic, Flavors, Fragrance, Manufacturing, Medical device, Chemical or related industry</p>

<p>Effective communication and interpersonal skills within all levels of the organization</p>

<p>Familiarity with compendia, such as USP/BP/EU or FCC</p>

<p>Comprehensive understanding of CGMP/GLP regulations</p>

<p>Knowledge of computerized data acquisition and analysis systems, such as HP CHEM Station, Waters Millennium or PE Turbochrom</p>

<p>Comprehensive working knowledge of laboratory instrumentation</p>

<p>Good math and strong analytical problem-solving skills</p>

<p>Solid understanding of the safety standards and hazards associated with a Quality Control environment</p>

<p>Ability to prepare clear and accurate documentation and understanding of its importance</p>

<p>Ability to work independently and meet deadlines on a multitude of tasks</p>

<p>Good organizational skills</p>

<p>Flexibility and willingness to work 1st, 2nd, 3rd or a modified work shift, as departmental needs demand</p>