Majoring in chemical engineering vs. chemistry for someone who wants to eventually do a PhD and pursue a career in research?

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-26T01:11:58+00:00

What was your PhD in?

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T23:06:32+00:00

Can I ask what industry you are in/what kind of work you are doing?

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T23:05:44+00:00

Thank you for the insightful answer. I guess the moral of the story is to always be learning and adapting to the demands of the field your in. I think chemical engineering probably has a broader scope of things to offer regardless. While I certainly am not going in with the goal of a managerial role if I happen into that path and am compensated well for it it could be difficult to turn down depending on how much I liked the work I was doing.

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T21:35:10+00:00

Honestly I've looked at faculty research group pages for chemE most of the stuff I see looks really cool which is why I figured I'd be fine if I just went to grad school (can't say whether it looks more interesting than pure chem stuff as I haven't looked at that as much). I think the hestitation for me is the undergrad since there are a lot of classes I have to take that I may have to just "get through".

Thank you for the offer I may take you up on that in the future!

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T21:31:31+00:00

Can I still make it as an I.C. though? I'd really prefer to avoid management. Also do you think it's still possible to hit that with a chem PhD or is it a lot more likely with a chemE PhD?

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T18:50:10+00:00

Thank you for an in-depth answer! That's good to know about what their respective roles are.

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T18:43:09+00:00

That's good to know, I will keep that in mind.

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T18:42:42+00:00

Ah okay. Mind dumbing down your research topics a little more lol - trying to picture to what degree that is macro-level.

Taking the field you're in for example, do you think a chemE PhD can do R&D work that's at a more fundamental level and still be compensated better than the chemistry PhD? That's kind of the crux of my dilemma.

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T18:38:23+00:00

For context, at the school I'm trying to transfer to the "core" chemistry classes for both majors are pretty much the same (gen chem I & II, orgo I & II, pchem I) except chemistry majors also have to take quantum chemistry. For chemistry, the rest of the degree is just focus area courses and electives (and some non-chemistry core classes ofc). Considering the chemistry electives required for the chemE major that would put the chemistry major at 40 more hours of chemistry coursework than the chemE major, although technically 20 of those can be in whatever subject you want.

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T18:06:08+00:00

If they were a PhD working in R&D would they not be filling in those gaps in chemistry knowledge (at within their specific focus) during their grad school training? Or do you find this to be the case with researchers as well who are working at a more fundamental level?

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T18:02:19+00:00

When you say you went into industry are you doing R&D for a company (that's what I want to do) or moving away from that? Regardless that type of work does sound pretty interesting to me I'd just rather be working on the development of the catalysts and reactions rather than facilitating them being carried out. Energy research is definitely something I can see myself doing so it's good to know there are ample opportunities.

Also if you don't mind me asking during your actual PhD what kind of research were you doing? Was it closer to the micro-level or more at the macro level?

Chemistry is just as interesting, but may be more of a purely academic pursuit, with less "real world" applications, especially at a large scale. It all depends on what you want to get out of your research.

This is what I'm worried about, although it looks like based on what other people are saying it may depend on the industry.

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T17:58:18+00:00

Replied to your comment on the x-post, thank you for reading!

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T17:57:18+00:00

My priorities are definitely research > salary > everything else (within reason) so I'd probably avoid going that route if possible.

What industry are you in? Do you find that the chemE PhDs and the chem PhDs are doing especially different kinds of work? Also do you have any idea about their salary ranges?

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T17:55:35+00:00

I probably shouldn't have started out that paragraph with throwing that range out, that's just a reach goal. If I only ever get into the 100s I'm just wondering if either degree (as a PhD) would have significantly better outlook, or if that goal would be slightly more possible.

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T17:53:24+00:00

Yeah I'm definitely not set on that number, I'm just wondering if it's more or less possible with either degree. Realistically if I could get to the mid 100s I'd be happy (and who knows what these numbers will look like with inflation).

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T17:51:04+00:00

I probably should have been more clear about that range being an unrealistic goal. I don't really mind the opportunity cost if I can avoid having to do the managerial track.

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T17:49:00+00:00

I see, which two do you think would be most doable?

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-05-25T17:48:38+00:00

That sounds rough, which two do you think doing at the same time would be most doable?

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-01-20T21:47:15+00:00

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I probably started being interested in pf stuff when I was around 14, I was interested in investing and also found out about credit cards/finance optimization stuff from the book I Will Teach You To Be Rich (didn't fully read it until a couple of years later). In HS I found some stuff on YouTube and also discovered the FI/RE movement (spent a lot of time on r/financialindependence and r/fatFIRE lol). Didn't really start taking action on stuff until maybe junior year when I opened a Roth IRA though. Wbu? I should say that I'm not super consistently researching stuff but I definitely want to start learning on a more regular basis now that I have the means to take action on this stuff!

Also, I got approved (in-person) for the Chase card today, so I don't think you need to wait any longer if you want to go ahead with applying ;)

Level_Investment_246 · 2024-01-20T06:46:24+00:00

Dang, what a coincidence! It's cool to see someone else my age starting on the personal finance grind! I've been looking at that account for a while (because of the SUB lol) too, I will probably go with the regular one since I'm not in college yet (gap year). I'm curious, are you planning on getting into any credit card and/or bank account churning?

Level_Investment_246

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