College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

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

65 Ranked Colleges
1,830 Degrees Awarded
$36,963 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor's

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 21,239 people earned their degree in chemistry, making the major the 51st most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, chemistry graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $40,656 and had an average of $22,680 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 3,316 chemistry graduates with average earnings and debt of $46,709 and $17,837 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,830 chemistry graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,566 and $21,995 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 65 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in chemistry. To top this list, a school must have a successful chemistry program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Chemistry Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The chemistry school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s”.

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - San Diego. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. University of California - San Diego is a public institution located in La Jolla, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 311 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Chemistry at UCSD

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Irvine. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Irvine, California, and it awarded 125 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemistry at UC Irvine

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. UC Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 113 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%.

Read full report on Chemistry at UC Berkeley

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Santa Barbara. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s. UCSB is a large public school situated in Santa Barbara, California. It awarded 100 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Chemistry at UCSB

5
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Diego State University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. SDSU is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 92 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Chemistry at San Diego State University

6

University of California - Davis ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. UC Davis is a public institution located in Davis, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 85 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 full report on Chemistry at UC Davis

7

University of California - Santa Cruz came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school awarded 76 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of California - Santa Cruz Chemistry Report

8

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #8. This large school is located in Pomona, California, and it awarded 70 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Chemistry Report

9

University of California - Riverside ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school handed out 69 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full University of California - Riverside Chemistry Report

10
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #10. San Jose State is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 62 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 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%.

Full San Jose State Chemistry Report

11

California State University - Long Beach landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chemistry degrees to 50 students in 2020-2021.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 California State University - Long Beach

12

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 47 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Chemistry at University of California - Los Angeles

13

California State University - San Bernardino ranked #13 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. CSUSB is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 45 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemistry at California State University - San Bernardino

14

University of California - Merced ranked #14 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. UC Merced is a medium-sized public school situated in Merced, California. It awarded 41 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Chemistry at University of California - Merced

15

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 36 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Chemistry at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

16

California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #16. CSUN is a large school located in Northridge, California that handed out 34 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemistry at California State University - Northridge

17

California State University - Sacramento landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Sac State is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 33 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemistry at Sac State

18

California State University - Channel Islands came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Camarillo, California, this medium-sized public school handed out 31 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemistry at CSUCI

19

California State University - Fresno ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Fresno State is a large public school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 30 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Fresno State Chemistry Report

20
USFCA crest
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

University of San Francisco landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. USFCA is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 full report on Chemistry at USFCA

20

California State University - Fullerton landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Cal State Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 26 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Cal State Fullerton Chemistry Report

22

With a ranking of #22, California State University - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chemistry degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemistry at Cal State LA

22
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

Humboldt State University ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Arcata, California, this medium-sized public school handed out 20 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2020-2021.

Full Humboldt State University Chemistry Report

24
Pomona crest
Pomona College
Claremont, California

Pomona College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #24. Pomona College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 18 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on Chemistry at Pomona College

25
SSU crest
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, California

Sonoma State University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Chemistry Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Rohnert Park, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chemistry degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

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 full report on Chemistry at SSU

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options