In this post, we’ll be talking about computer science and chemistry differences, and also discover which is the best branch to major in.
Which is better computer science or chemical engineering
According to BLS, the average salary of chemical engineering is $80,000 per year, while in computer science engineers is earning around $130,000 per year, 40% better, both occupations computer science and chemical engineering offer a good and comfortable Financial life but When we compare computer science to chemical engineering in terms of jobs opportunities we find computer science way better than chemistry major.
The number of chemical engineers recorded in 2020 is 26,300 engineers, while in computer science There are more than 3 Millions computer science Engineers working in different technology Industries.
Chemical engineering hires only 6000 engineers every year, Which is nothing compared to computer science majors that are hiring around 200,000 Engineers every year, Which is 33 times better than chemical engineering.
so the odds of finding jobs in chemistry are very low compared to computer science. You would face a lot of competition and have some kind of struggles before landing your first job in chemical engineering.
On the other hand in computer science and especially if you choose software engineering you don’t have even to complete a degree in computer science if you want to become a software developer, you can only teach yourself or take some private courses in software engineering that can prepare you in just 6 months and even help you to find a job, This is impossible in chemical engineering.
So if you are looking to find a job with a higher salary computer science is the best choice to opt for is way better than chemical engineering. In contrast, if you are passionate about chemical engineering you should be patient and ready to bear some difficulty hunting for a job.
But money should not be the only factor that you should have based on choosing the major you pursue, you have to consider others’ personal interests and abilities which will be talking about later in our article.
Which is harder computer science or chemical engineering
Chemistry is more difficult and challenging than computer science. It involves a lot of physics and principal chemistry courses that computer science students don’t study at all. A computer science major Focuses only on math and computer subjects like programming and solving technical problems.
In chemistry, major students are required to complete the same math courses as computer science majors like
- calculus 1
- calculus 2
- calculus 3
- differential equations
- linear algebra
But it doesn’t end up, in a chemistry major you will be required to complete a lot of physics and chemistry courses, there are huge and heavier chemistry courses you should complete including:
- General Chemistry
- General Chemistry laboratory
- physics 1
- physics 2
- organic chemistry
- organic chemistry laboratory
- analytical chemistry
- analytical chemistry laboratory
- physical chemistry
- physical chemistry laboratory
- biochemistry
- biochemistry laboratory
- inorganic chemistry
- inorganic chemistry laboratory
In a computer science major, you are not required to study any single physics or chemistry course, You would be studying the same math courses as the chemistry major including:
- calculus 1
- calculus 2
- calculus 3
- Linear algebra
- differential equations
- discrete math
Discrete math is the only topic that you will not be studying in chemistry, all the rest of my topics including calculus and differential equations in addition to the email algebra are the same as a chemistry major.
But, when we talk about computer science subjects we are completely different from chemistry majors who would be focusing on the principal programming and computer topics including:
- Computing
- Software Construction
- Computer Organization and Assembly Language Programming
- Algorithms
- Operating systems
- Computer network
- database systems
To study computer science or chemistry you must be good at mathematics, but if you are interested in computer programming and like to solve technical problems computer science would be easier for you.
On the other hand in chemistry majors, it’s easy for people who enjoy memorizing a lot of Concepts about science and physics, in addition to reading a lot of heavy books that explain the deep concepts of how materials behave.
Which should you choose chemistry or computer science
If you are planning to earn a lot of money you would not be finding more than computer science. It offers Skyrocket salaries that any engineering or stem field cannot offer, for instance, in some computer science branches like data science, machine learning, or artificial intelligence.
Engineers can earn over $170,000 per year which is 2.5 times the salary that you’ll be earning as a chemist.
In addition, it is easy to have an important raise in your career as a computer science engineer, for instance, if you begin with $80,000 as an entry-level beginner in computer science in just 5 years you can multiply this wage shifting between companies especially if you are good and passionate about the specialty you are working on.
The other advantage computer science gives you, is you can work remotely from anywhere like a house, coffee, or whatever which is impossible in chemistry Majors where you should work in an industrial plant, or labs developing new chemical products or making quality tests.
The last spectacular thing about computer science is you can work in software engineering jobs without needing to complete any bachelor’s in computer science or any formal education, Which is amazing. you just have to enroll in some accelerated programs like boot camps or even self-teach yourself in software engineering by taking online courses. you can watch this video below for more information:
How I Became a Self-Taught Software Developer
But if you hate programming and you are interested more in physics or chemistry, then you should not buy your happiness by the advantages that computer science offers. in this case it would be a better $70,000 career than $170,000 as a miserable computer science engineer.
In addition, you have to make some additional efforts because in most cases to be competitive and higher your chances of getting a job in the chemical industry, especially in research or working with some respect for companies you must be continuing your studies by taking a master or even the Ph.D., which would be requiring some additional sacrifices.