What are the differences between the two degrees (assuming a BS in both, of course)?
One major difference is that chemical engineering (assuming it’s done at a school where the degree is ABET accredited) will set you up for good employment opportunities right out of undergraduate. Chemistry won’t. I don’t know as much about the details of the two degrees. Note that people could likely give you better advice on which degree you should pursue if you describe what your end goals are.
I’ll give it a shot and others can correct me if I’m wrong. A chemistry degree will teach you about the chemical process on several levels. You will need to understand those how chemistry works on a general, organic, biological and even quantum level. It will teach the whys and hows of chemistry. It is a good degree to have if you want to do research or create new products. It will typically need an advanced degree to be useful. The challenge with doing research in chemistry is that it can be studied and done anywhere in the world.
Chemical engineering is more about how chemicals are created, formed and turned into useful products. While you will still learn a good bit of chemistry, you will also be learning about how to use chemistry to create products and the systems need to do so. My D is a Chem E and is doing a co-op. One of the projects she had was to replace some tubing that had corroded. Her job was to find a product that wouldn’t corrode as quickly given the product it would be used for. The chemistry was in the understanding of the corrosion process and the engineering was finding a product that wouldn’t corrode and how they would replace the tubing. She has also done work with pumps, valves and filters all of which are used in the manufacturing or the processing of chemicals. So long as there are companies that manufacture and utilize chemical processes in their facilities chemical engineers will be needed locally. Like any position the demand ebbs and flows.
A book I read said that it took chemists and biologists to create penicillin and turn it into an antibiotic. It took a chemical engineer to figure out how to mass produce it.
My husband was a chemistry undergrad. as the above poster said that degree dealt more with the whys and hows of chemistry. It set you up for research or work in a lab and usually requires an advanced degree. It is also a good pre-med and pre-vet degree. My husband worked for a summer at Dow and realized what he really wanted to do was to be a chemical engineer.
In chemical engineering you learn more about the processes of chemical use and production. He did a masters in Chem E. and actually specialized in the petroleum engineering aspect and went to work at an oil company. Then he went to law school and is an oil and gas and chemical civil trial specialist. So the degree can take you in many directions.
It really depends on your career goals. Chemistry typically sets one up for a more research based track (which requires an advanced degree) where ChemE is more application.
I would take some time and look up the courses that you would need for a degree in chemistry and a degree in chemical engineering. The information can be readily found on websites of colleges you are considering and may help to give you a sense of what is required in each of your two areas of interest.
@momocarly @Mandalorian @happy1 @lvvcsf @Luminouzz Thank you for the info and advice! It was very helpful!