<p>Hey,</p>
<p>I'm a high school student and I am thinking about doing something in college that's science/math related. For example, I like chemistry/biology, but would I major in Chemistry or would a major in Chemical Engineering be better?</p>
<p>Basically, are we looking at theoretical vs applied science?</p>
<p>I mean, what should I really be looking at for my interests? ( I want to make a ton of money )</p>
<p>Chemistry is, well chemistry, like compounds and stuff (I don't know too much about in depth, but it's like Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry).</p>
<p>Chemical Engineering is totally different. It's more about Thermal and Fluids, heat and mass transfer, fluid mechanics, and so forth.</p>
<p>Shah gives a pretty good description. Here is the in-depth one:</p>
<p>Chemistry: you'll take general chem, organic chem (structure of carbon compounds, sythensis, reactions, etc), physical chem (thermo, quantum), inorganic chem (structure & rxs of inorganic molecules), analytical chem (pretty much a lab course) and maybe a few others. You'll have to take some math and physics to be able to do the background work on this. When you graduate, you're a chemist, probably make a little above $30,000/year.</p>
<p>Chemical engineering: take most of the above, plus: engineering courses (outside of chemical - computer, electrical, etc), programming, AutoCAD, more math, and the chem-e courses. Those will be things like thermodynamics, heat/mass transfer, separations, fluid dynamics, reactor design, factory design, materials science, and a few others. Starting salary: $54,200/year national average.</p>
<p>Chem-E is also a harder major - you do the chemistry major and then the engineering courses on top of it. It leaves you little time for electives. The major is good for more than a higher starting salary, though - it's a great way to move into management or finance.</p>
<p>But, if you majored in chemistry, you could easily select biology classes required by medical colleges.</p>
<p>Plus, unlike people who major in languages, you would have a very solid background in the lab.</p>