Career comparison
Biochemist vs. Chemist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Biochemists earn more at the median ($127,410 vs. $91,240), while chemists usually get to work faster (4+ years of training). Biochemists study the chemistry of living things to develop medicines and new technologies. Chemists study substances and create new materials, medicines and products.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Biochemist | Chemist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $127,410 ($61.26/hr) | $91,240 ($43.87/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $74,290 – $201,110 | $58,460 – $160,830 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +12.3% (much faster than average) | +6.4% (faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 2,900 | 5,900 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 5–6 years after a bachelor’s | 4+ years |
| Key credential | Ph.D. | ACS-certified degree |
| Work setting | Biochemists work in labs at universities, biotech and pharma companies.. | Chemists work in labs and offices in industry, government and universities.. |
What each job does
Biochemist
- Design experiments
- Purify proteins
- Run assays
- Analyze data
- Write papers
Chemist
- Design and run experiments
- Analyze substances with instruments
- Develop new products and processes
- Interpret data
- Write reports and procedures
How they’re similar
Both careers involve high-pay, in-demand, working with information, and problem-solving. Both are part of the science, engineering & lab field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose biochemist if…
- I love biology and chemistry
- I’m persistent
- I like lab work
Choose chemist if…
- I love chemistry
- I enjoy experiments
- I like solving puzzles
Still torn? Take the Biochemist fit quiz and the Chemist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, biochemist or chemist?
Biochemists earn more at the median: $127,410 versus $91,240 for chemists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Chemists typically train faster (4+ years) than biochemists (5–6 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects biochemists to grow +12.3% from 2025–35, compared with +6.4% for chemists.