Chemists and biochemists study the actions and interactions of atoms and molecules, which can lead to the creation of new materials, the discovery of causes and cures for diseases, and methods for cleaning up the environment. Undergraduate students in the Chemistry & Biochemistry Department get to work in the labs right away and begin making exciting discoveries of their own.
Students who graduate with a degree in biochemistry are well qualified for positions in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. Biochemistry is the major of choice for pre-health professionals, and its distribution requirements include all the technical courses needed for admission to medical, dental, and veterinary schools.
Average Starting Salary
WPI Graduates:
- Bachelor’s: $34,667
- Master’s: N/A
- PhD: N/A
Average National Starting Salary (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015): $44,220
Average National Starting Bachelor’s Degree Salary (reported by the NACE Salary Survey): $38,665
Download the WPI Post-Graduation Reports for more information on salaries.
Companies that have Hired WPI Biochemists
- Athena Diagnostics
- Boston Children’s Hospital
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute
- Foremost Groups, Inc.
- Foundation Medicine
- Mass Biologics
- Pfizer
- UMass Medical School
Download the WPI Post-Graduation Reports for more companies that have hired WPI graduates.
Sample Job Titles
- Biotech Production Specialist
- Clinical Data Associate
- Extraction Tech
- Lab Automation Specialist
- Protein Chemist
- Quality Control Coordinate 1
- Research Assistant
- Research Scientist
- Scientific Associate
- Teacher
Visit O*Net Online for more information on job titles.
Sample Graduate Schools
- Albert Einstein School of Medicine
- Brown University
- Cornell University
- Georgetown University
- King’s College London
- UMass Medical School
- Yale University
Sample Professional Associations and Clubs
- American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- American Chemical Society
- The Biochemical Society
- International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Visit What Can I Do With This Major? for more associations and clubs.
Examples of MQPs
- Fusion of Viral Proteins Apoptin and PCV-1 VP3 C-Terminus: A Study of Localization and Induced Specific Apoptosis of Carcinogenic Cells
- Investigating the Role of Multimerization in Human Torque Teno Virus VP3 Cancer Cell Specific Apoptosis
- Phylogenetic Profile of Copper Homeostasis in Deltaproteobacteria
Visit WPI’s Electronic Projects Collection for more MQP titles.
Popular Industries for Biochemists
- Basic Chemical Manufacturing
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
- Government Agencies
- Hospital Laboratories
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing
- Public Health Departments
- Scientific Research and Development Services
Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics for a list of more industries.