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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Chemistry in California

65 Ranked Colleges
1,822 Degrees Awarded
$36,963 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2021-2022, 20,985 people earned their degree in chemistry, making the major the 51st most popular in the United States. In , chemistry graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $40,989 and had an average of $21,685 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 3,379 chemistry graduates with average earnings and debt of $46,709 and $17,351 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,822 chemistry graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,904 and $19,503 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California” ranking analyzed 65 colleges that offered a degree in chemistry. That schools that top this list have a program in chemistry in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California”.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Chemistry in California

1
Pomona crest
Pomona College
Claremont, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Pomona College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Pomona Chemistry Report

2
Westmont crest
Westmont College
Santa Barbara, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Westmont College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California list. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemistry at Westmont

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - San Diego. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California list. University of California - San Diego is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 346 bachelors’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Chemistry at University of California - San Diego

4
Harvey Mudd College crest
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, California

Out of the 65 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvey Mudd College landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Chemistry at Harvey Mudd College

5
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Whittier College
Whittier, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Whittier College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California. Whittier is located in Whittier, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Whittier Chemistry Report

6

University of California - Merced ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California list. Merced, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chemistry degrees to 40 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UC Merced Chemistry Report

7
University of Saint Katherine crest
University of Saint Katherine
San Marcos, California

University of Saint Katherine landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California ranking. University of Saint Katherine is a small school located in San Marcos, California that handed out 0 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2021-2022.

Read more about Chemistry at University of Saint Katherine

8

California Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California ranking, coming in at #8. California Institute of Technology is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 99%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Chemistry at California Institute of Technology

9
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Pacific Union College
Angwin, California

Pacific Union College ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California list. PUC is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Angwin, California. It awarded 2 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Pacific Union College Chemistry Report

10
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Occidental College
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #10, Occidental College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 9 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Full Occidental College Chemistry Report

11

Dominican University of California did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California ranking, coming in at #11. DUofC is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Rafael, California. It awarded 8 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Dominican University of California Chemistry Report

12
Scripps crest
Scripps College
Claremont, California

Scripps College ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California list. Scripps College is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Scripps College Chemistry Report

13

California State University - Channel Islands ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California list. CSUCI is a public institution located in Camarillo, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Chemistry at California State University - Channel Islands

14

University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California ranking, coming in at #14. Santa Barbara, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chemistry degrees to 103 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Chemistry at University of California - Santa Barbara

15

University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California list. This fairly large school is located in Santa Cruz, California, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemistry at University of California - Santa Cruz

16
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

Humboldt State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California ranking, coming in at #16. Humboldt State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Arcata, California. It awarded 30 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Chemistry at Humboldt State University

17

University of California - Irvine came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California ranking. University of California - Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 112 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full UC Irvine Chemistry Report

18

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California ranking. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a large public school situated in Pomona, California. It awarded 76 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemistry at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

19

California State University - San Bernardino landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California ranking. This fairly large school is located in San Bernardino, California, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemistry at California State University - San Bernardino

20

University of California - Riverside came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California ranking. This large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 53 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Riverside Chemistry Report

21
Claremont McKenna crest
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, California

Claremont McKenna College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California ranking. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Chemistry at Claremont McKenna

22
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California list. San Diego State University is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 114 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read more about Chemistry at San Diego State University

23
Pitzer crest
Pitzer College
Claremont, California

Pitzer College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California list. Pitzer College is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Chemistry at Pitzer College

24

University of California - Berkeley ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California list. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school awarded 126 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Chemistry at UC Berkeley

25
USFCA crest
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

University of San Francisco did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chemistry Major in California ranking, coming in at #25. This medium-sized school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full USFCA Chemistry Report

Notes and References

References

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