2023 Best Chemistry Schools in California
Finding the Best Chemistry School for You
Chemistry is the #39 most popular major in California with 3,247 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Chemistry Schools in California ranking. This report analyzed 24 schools in California to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Chemistry Schools in California
The colleges and universities below are the best for chemistry majors pursuing a .
Top 10 Best Chemistry Schools
Our analysis found Stanford University to be the best school for chemistry students who want to pursue a degree in California. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Stanford.
Full Chemistry at Stanford University Report
Request Information
Out of the 24 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the midsize city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public school with a very large student population.
Chemistry majors at UC Berkeley take out an average of $12,138 in student loans while working on their egree.
Read full report on Chemistry at University of California - Berkeley
Request Information
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Santa Barbara. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Chemistry Schools in California list. Located in the midsize suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public college with a very large student population.
After completing their degree, chemistry graduates from UCSB carry an average student debtload of $19,530. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $343.
Request Information
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - San Diego. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Chemistry Schools in California list. UCSD is a very large public school located in the large city of La Jolla.
On average, chemistry graduates from UCSD take out $15,833 in student loans while working on their degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $167.
Request Information
Out of the 24 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Channel Islands landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the suburb of Camarillo, CSUCI is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
On average, chemistry graduates from CSUCI take out $20,250 in student loans while working on their degree.
Request Information
University of California - Davis ranked #6 on this year’s Best Chemistry Schools in California list. Located in the small suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public school with a fairly large student population.
After completing their degree, chemistry graduates from UC Davis carry an average student debtload of $13,992. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $272, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Read full report on Chemistry at University of California - Davis
Request Information
San Diego State University landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best chemistry programs. SDSU is a fairly large public school located in the city of San Diego.
While working on their degree, chemistry majors at SDSU accumulate an average of around $20,998 in student debt.
Read full report on Chemistry at San Diego State University
Request Information
University of California - Irvine ranked #8 on this year’s Best Chemistry Schools in California list. Located in the large city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public college with a very large student population.
After completing their degree, chemistry graduates from UC Irvine carry an average student debtload of $15,000. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $201, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Read full report on Chemistry at University of California - Irvine
Request Information
University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #9 on this year’s Best Chemistry Schools in California list. UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large public school located in the city of Santa Cruz.
Chemistry majors at UC Santa Cruz take out an average of $21,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
Request Information
California State University - Sacramento landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best chemistry programs. Sac State is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Sacramento.
On average, chemistry graduates from Sac State take out $24,750 in student loans while working on their degree.
Read full report on Chemistry at California State University - Sacramento
Request InformationBest Chemistry Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Chemistry Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Washington | 352 |
| Oregon | 274 |
| Nevada | 70 |
| Hawaii | 26 |
| Alaska | 14 |
More Chemistry Rankings in California
Rankings in Majors Related to Chemistry
One of 8 majors within the area of study, chemistry has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Physics | 13,674 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 7,821 |
| General Physical Sciences | 3,823 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 1,375 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 1,140 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 24 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© 2025 Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.