Chemical engineering vs Chemistry

ariesathena
Fri, 16 Sep 2005 11:31:28 +0000

Addressing a few issues:

Chemical engineers have huge advantages in the job market. Their starting salary is $54,200/year on average; that of a chemist is much lower (low 30s, if I recall correctly). Many chemists go back to school to get chemE degrees for that reason. As a chemE, you can do the job of a chemist, but the reverse isn’t true.

Now, there is a reason why engineers get paid more - IMO, it’s because the major is significantly harder. Chemistry majors at my alma mater were required to take between 8 and 10 chem courses (depending on type of major and how you count the labs); chemEs were required to take seven chem courses, four of which have labs attached. That’s just the foundation for chemE: afterwards, you pile on math, physics, and a zillion engineering courses.