Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 17:15     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
Anonymous wrote:How does chemistry compare with pharmacology? It seems are if it might be easier to find a job with a pharmacology degree? My son "likes" chemistry. Not sure how much.


A PharmD degree usually leads to job as a Pharmacist.

Chemistry is a serious degree, but has somewhat limited career options. ChemE also is hard and has more career options.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 15:05     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Seems like the question is does he want to be a pharmacist-lots of people who like chemistry would not! If he doesn’t then a chem degree is better.


He doesn't want to be a pharmacist. He likes chemistry. Trying to suggest other majors that are "similar" to chemistry. A lot of schools have Pharmacology majors which seems to be about 1/3 chemistry. The rest is biology and more specific courses regarding pharmacology.

https://agsci.psu.edu/academics/undergraduate/majors/pharmacology-and-toxicology

https://www.sju.edu/degree-programs/pharmacology-and-toxicology-bs
Thanks for those links. I wasn’t really in tune with undergrad pharmacology programs.

One field that has some chemistry in it - possibly quite a bit if you choose - is forensic science. Probably not very lucrative though.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 14:19     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Seems like the question is does he want to be a pharmacist-lots of people who like chemistry would not! If he doesn’t then a chem degree is better.


He doesn't want to be a pharmacist. He likes chemistry. Trying to suggest other majors that are "similar" to chemistry. A lot of schools have Pharmacology majors which seems to be about 1/3 chemistry. The rest is biology and more specific courses regarding pharmacology.

https://agsci.psu.edu/academics/undergraduate/majors/pharmacology-and-toxicology

https://www.sju.edu/degree-programs/pharmacology-and-toxicology-bs


What kind of chem does he like? He may like materials science (it's an engineering degree). Mat Sci is a broad field that can cover anything from metallurgy to polymers.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 14:18     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Either is a great pathway to a variety of careers, including working for a pharmaceutical company, which can be very lucrative. This is the type of major where you will get a job if you are successful in most undergrad programs. A student coming from the University of Arizona or Brown with an undergrad in pharmacy will have similar opportunities and outcomes for job placement. They will both be making more money than a kid graduating from Harvard with a degree in sociology.


As a chem major myself, you will need more than an undergrad degree to get a good job in chem. The track can be very academia focused.


The post isn't implying that they will land as a senior director of regulatory at Eli Lilly first year out of college, its saying they can get a job that will pay 100K as a cog in one of the companies and continue to grow and figure it out.


With an undergrad degree? Absolutely not.


+1

Bio and Chem are both majors where you need a PHD to do the "real work". And the pay for those with only a BS/BA is dismal typically
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 14:17     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Either is a great pathway to a variety of careers, including working for a pharmaceutical company, which can be very lucrative. This is the type of major where you will get a job if you are successful in most undergrad programs. A student coming from the University of Arizona or Brown with an undergrad in pharmacy will have similar opportunities and outcomes for job placement. They will both be making more money than a kid graduating from Harvard with a degree in sociology.


As a chem major myself, you will need more than an undergrad degree to get a good job in chem. The track can be very academia focused.


+1

Chemistry requires at least an MS and really a PHD to do more than "grunt work for someone else".
My own kid loves chemistry and decided upon Chem Eng, because they didn't want a PHD and "lab work" wasn't their thing. For them it's the perfect major---uses math and applications and chemistry, and you can do far in career without ever getting an MS+

Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 13:32     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
Anonymous wrote:Seems like the question is does he want to be a pharmacist-lots of people who like chemistry would not! If he doesn’t then a chem degree is better.


He doesn't want to be a pharmacist. He likes chemistry. Trying to suggest other majors that are "similar" to chemistry. A lot of schools have Pharmacology majors which seems to be about 1/3 chemistry. The rest is biology and more specific courses regarding pharmacology.

https://agsci.psu.edu/academics/undergraduate/majors/pharmacology-and-toxicology

https://www.sju.edu/degree-programs/pharmacology-and-toxicology-bs
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 13:29     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Either is a great pathway to a variety of careers, including working for a pharmaceutical company, which can be very lucrative. This is the type of major where you will get a job if you are successful in most undergrad programs. A student coming from the University of Arizona or Brown with an undergrad in pharmacy will have similar opportunities and outcomes for job placement. They will both be making more money than a kid graduating from Harvard with a degree in sociology.


As a chem major myself, you will need more than an undergrad degree to get a good job in chem. The track can be very academia focused.


The post isn't implying that they will land as a senior director of regulatory at Eli Lilly first year out of college, its saying they can get a job that will pay 100K as a cog in one of the companies and continue to grow and figure it out.


Not with a bachelors in chem. ChemE or Materials E (which also requires a lot of undergrad chem), yes, but even then the best jobs are for those with masters or PhD.


An undergrad Chem E isn't landing a 100k job out of college either. A PhD, maybe.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 13:27     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Either is a great pathway to a variety of careers, including working for a pharmaceutical company, which can be very lucrative. This is the type of major where you will get a job if you are successful in most undergrad programs. A student coming from the University of Arizona or Brown with an undergrad in pharmacy will have similar opportunities and outcomes for job placement. They will both be making more money than a kid graduating from Harvard with a degree in sociology.


As a chem major myself, you will need more than an undergrad degree to get a good job in chem. The track can be very academia focused.


The post isn't implying that they will land as a senior director of regulatory at Eli Lilly first year out of college, its saying they can get a job that will pay 100K as a cog in one of the companies and continue to grow and figure it out.


Not with a bachelors in chem. ChemE or Materials E (which also requires a lot of undergrad chem), yes, but even then the best jobs are for those with masters or PhD.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 12:32     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Either is a great pathway to a variety of careers, including working for a pharmaceutical company, which can be very lucrative. This is the type of major where you will get a job if you are successful in most undergrad programs. A student coming from the University of Arizona or Brown with an undergrad in pharmacy will have similar opportunities and outcomes for job placement. They will both be making more money than a kid graduating from Harvard with a degree in sociology.


As a chem major myself, you will need more than an undergrad degree to get a good job in chem. The track can be very academia focused.


The post isn't implying that they will land as a senior director of regulatory at Eli Lilly first year out of college, its saying they can get a job that will pay 100K as a cog in one of the companies and continue to grow and figure it out.


With an undergrad degree? Absolutely not.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 12:31     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Either is a great pathway to a variety of careers, including working for a pharmaceutical company, which can be very lucrative. This is the type of major where you will get a job if you are successful in most undergrad programs. A student coming from the University of Arizona or Brown with an undergrad in pharmacy will have similar opportunities and outcomes for job placement. They will both be making more money than a kid graduating from Harvard with a degree in sociology.


As a chem major myself, you will need more than an undergrad degree to get a good job in chem. The track can be very academia focused.


The post isn't implying that they will land as a senior director of regulatory at Eli Lilly first year out of college, its saying they can get a job that will pay 100K as a cog in one of the companies and continue to grow and figure it out.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 12:29     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
Anonymous wrote:Either is a great pathway to a variety of careers, including working for a pharmaceutical company, which can be very lucrative. This is the type of major where you will get a job if you are successful in most undergrad programs. A student coming from the University of Arizona or Brown with an undergrad in pharmacy will have similar opportunities and outcomes for job placement. They will both be making more money than a kid graduating from Harvard with a degree in sociology.


As a chem major myself, you will need more than an undergrad degree to get a good job in chem. The track can be very academia focused.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 12:25     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
Either is a great pathway to a variety of careers, including working for a pharmaceutical company, which can be very lucrative. This is the type of major where you will get a job if you are successful in most undergrad programs. A student coming from the University of Arizona or Brown with an undergrad in pharmacy will have similar opportunities and outcomes for job placement. They will both be making more money than a kid graduating from Harvard with a degree in sociology.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 12:24     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
Has he considered Chemical Engineering?
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 12:23     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
Seems like the question is does he want to be a pharmacist-lots of people who like chemistry would not! If he doesn’t then a chem degree is better.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 12:21     Subject: chemistry and pharmacology
How does chemistry compare with pharmacology? It seems are if it might be easier to find a job with a pharmacology degree? My son "likes" chemistry. Not sure how much.