Best Universities for Chemistry in North America

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in North America ranked based on their research performance in Chemistry. A graph of 487M citations received by 12.3M academic papers made by 1,488 universities in North America was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Chemistry

#1 in the United States

#1 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $19,491

2. Stanford University

United States | California

For Chemistry

#2 in the United States

#2 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,279

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

United States | Massachusetts

For Chemistry

#3 in the United States

#4 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1555
Average ACT: 36
Net Price: $20,232

4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

United States | Michigan

For Chemistry

#4 in the United States

#5 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 74%

5. Johns Hopkins University

United States | Maryland

For Chemistry

#5 in the United States

#6 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $24,034

6. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Chemistry

#6 in the United States

#7 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $21,669
Enrollment: 45,307

7. Cornell University

United States | New York State

For Chemistry

#7 in the United States

#9 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,060

8. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Chemistry

#8 in the United States

#10 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $14,731
Enrollment: 52,319

9. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Chemistry

#1 in Canada

#11 in the World

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

10. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Chemistry

#9 in the United States

#13 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $20,782
Enrollment: 42,006

11. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Chemistry

#10 in the United States

#14 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,123

12. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Chemistry

#11 in the United States

#15 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 57%
Average Aid: $21,766
Enrollment: 46,430

13. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Chemistry

#12 in the United States

#16 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,647

14. University of California - San Francisco

United States | California

For Chemistry

#13 in the United States

#17 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 3,140
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1864

15. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Chemistry

#14 in the United States

#18 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 58%

16. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Chemistry

#15 in the United States

#22 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

17. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

United States | Minnesota

For Chemistry

#16 in the United States

#23 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 82%

18. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Chemistry

#17 in the United States

#24 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $22,058

19. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Chemistry

#18 in the United States

#25 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1300
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 68%

20. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Chemistry

#19 in the United States

#30 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $20,548
Enrollment: 39,679

21. Northwestern University

United States | Illinois

For Chemistry

#20 in the United States

#31 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,095

22. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

United States | North Carolina

For Chemistry

#21 in the United States

#32 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 59%

23. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Chemistry

#22 in the United States

#33 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 83%

24. Washington University in St Louis

United States | Missouri

For Chemistry

#23 in the United States

#34 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $23,432

25. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Chemistry

#24 in the United States

#35 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 94%

26. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Chemistry

#2 in Canada

#36 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 20,893
Founded: 1908

27. University of Pittsburgh

United States | Pennsylvania

For Chemistry

#25 in the United States

#39 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 87%

28. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Chemistry

#26 in the United States

#40 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $36,991

29. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Chemistry

#27 in the United States

#41 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 89%

30. McGill University

Canada | Quebec State

For Chemistry

#3 in Canada

#42 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 37,888
Founded: 1821

31. California Institute of Technology

United States | California

For Chemistry

#28 in the United States

#49 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Net Price: $20,755
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $59,192

32. Purdue University

United States | Indiana

For Chemistry

#29 in the United States

#50 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1335
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 60%

33. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

United States | Texas

For Chemistry

#30 in the United States

#53 in the World

Enrollment: 2,354
Male:Female: 45:55
Founded: 1943

34. University of Southern California

United States | California

For Chemistry

#31 in the United States

#55 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $36,808

35. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

United States | New Jersey

For Chemistry

#32 in the United States

#56 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 70%

36. University of Alberta

Canada | Alberta

For Chemistry

#4 in Canada

#59 in the World

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

37. Texas A&M University - College Station

United States | Texas

For Chemistry

#33 in the United States

#60 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 74%

38. Baylor College of Medicine

United States | Texas

For Chemistry

#34 in the United States

#61 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 1,610
Male:Female: 40:60
Founded: 1900

39. Georgia Institute of Technology

United States | Georgia

For Chemistry

#35 in the United States

#64 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1460
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 73%

40. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

United States | Texas

For Chemistry

#36 in the United States

#65 in the World

Enrollment: 364
Male:Female: 20:80
Founded: 1941

41. University of Utah

United States | Utah

For Chemistry

#37 in the United States

#67 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 99%

42. Princeton University

United States | New Jersey

For Chemistry

#38 in the United States

#69 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,698

43. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Chemistry

#39 in the United States

#71 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 98%

44. New York University

United States | New York State

For Chemistry

#40 in the United States

#72 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $29,499

45. Michigan State University

United States | Michigan

For Chemistry

#41 in the United States

#75 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 94%

46. Emory University

United States | Georgia

For Chemistry

#42 in the United States

#77 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1490
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $26,680

47. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Chemistry

#43 in the United States

#79 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,694

48. Iowa State University

United States | Iowa State

For Chemistry

#44 in the United States

#84 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1220
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 89%

49. Case Western Reserve University

United States | Ohio

For Chemistry

#45 in the United States

#85 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Average SAT: 1475
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $38,279

50. Boston University

United States | Massachusetts

For Chemistry

#46 in the United States

#86 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $27,829

51. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Chemistry

#47 in the United States

#93 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $17,411
Enrollment: 35,937

52. Vanderbilt University

United States | Tennessee

For Chemistry

#48 in the United States

#94 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $25,606

53. University of Maryland - College Park

United States | Maryland

For Chemistry

#49 in the United States

#95 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 63%

54. University of Iowa

United States | Iowa State

For Chemistry

#50 in the United States

#96 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 91%

55. University of California - Santa Barbara

United States | California

For Chemistry

#51 in the United States

#97 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Receiving Aid: 59%
Average Aid: $20,389
Enrollment: 26,420

56. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

United States | North Carolina

For Chemistry

#52 in the United States

#98 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Average SAT: 1370
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 80%

57. University of Virginia

United States | Virginia

For Chemistry

#53 in the United States

#99 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 54%

58. University of Colorado Boulder

United States | Colorado

For Chemistry

#54 in the United States

#105 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1275
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 68%

59. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science

United States | Minnesota

For Chemistry

#55 in the United States

#116 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Net Price: $11,830
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $2,182

60. University of Georgia

United States | Georgia

For Chemistry

#56 in the United States

#117 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1320
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 94%

61. University of Illinois at Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Chemistry

#57 in the United States

#119 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 81%

62. University of Alabama at Birmingham

United States | Alabama

For Chemistry

#58 in the United States

#125 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1305
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 96%

63. Rockefeller University

United States | New York State

For Chemistry

#59 in the United States

#126 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 273
Male:Female: 54:46
Founded: 1901

64. McMaster University

Canada | Ontario

For Chemistry

#5 in Canada

#129 in the World

Enrollment: 27,965
Founded: 1887

65. University of Rochester

United States | New York State

For Chemistry

#60 in the United States

#138 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Average SAT: 1465
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $39,775

66. University of Calgary

Canada | Alberta

For Chemistry

#6 in Canada

#146 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1966

67. University of Kentucky

United States | Kentucky

For Chemistry

#61 in the United States

#149 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1180
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 96%

68. Arizona State University - Tempe

United States | Arizona

For Chemistry

#62 in the United States

#151 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $12,381
Enrollment: 80,065

69. Tufts University

United States | Massachusetts

For Chemistry

#63 in the United States

#153 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $30,479

70. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

United States | New York State

For Chemistry

#64 in the United States

#158 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 1,253
Male:Female: 40:60
Founded: 1963

71. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

United States | Virginia

For Chemistry

#65 in the United States

#160 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1335
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 71%

72. Washington State University

United States | Washington

For Chemistry

#66 in the United States

#161 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Receiving Aid: 88%
Average Aid: $10,689
Enrollment: 27,539

73. University of Maryland, Baltimore

United States | Maryland

For Chemistry

#67 in the United States

#162 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Enrollment: 6,931
Male:Female: 27:73
Founded: 1807

74. Stony Brook University

United States | New York State

For Chemistry

#68 in the United States

#166 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1410
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 88%

75. University of Montreal

Canada | Quebec State

For Chemistry

#7 in Canada

#172 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 66,972
Founded: 1878

76. Wayne State University

United States | Michigan

For Chemistry

#69 in the United States

#176 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 98%

77. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Chemistry

#70 in the United States

#183 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $33,499

78. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

United States | Indiana

For Chemistry

#71 in the United States

#184 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 91%

79. University at Buffalo

United States | New York State

For Chemistry

#72 in the United States

#186 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1285
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 86%

80. University of Tennessee - Knoxville

United States | Tennessee

For Chemistry

#73 in the United States

#187 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1250
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 91%

81. Western University

Canada | Ontario

For Chemistry

#8 in Canada

#188 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 21,836
Founded: 1878

82. University of Ottawa

Canada | Ontario

For Chemistry

#9 in Canada

#189 in the World

Enrollment: 42,027
Founded: 1848

83. University of Miami

United States | Florida

For Chemistry

#74 in the United States

#190 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $36,467

84. Queen's University

Canada | Ontario

For Chemistry

#10 in Canada

#193 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Enrollment: 30,386
Founded: 1841

85. University of Waterloo

Canada | Ontario

For Chemistry

#11 in Canada

#197 in the World

Enrollment: 35,900
Founded: 1957

86. University of California - Riverside

United States | California

For Chemistry

#75 in the United States

#200 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $22,042
Enrollment: 26,809

87. University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

United States | Colorado

For Chemistry

#76 in the United States

#201 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1145
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 94%

88. Brown University

United States | Rhode Island

For Chemistry

#77 in the United States

#204 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,723

89. Laval University

Canada | Quebec State

For Chemistry

#12 in Canada

#205 in the World

Enrollment: 45,000
Founded: 1852

90. University of Missouri - Columbia

United States | Missouri

For Chemistry

#78 in the United States

#207 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 91%

91. Colorado State University - Fort Collins

United States | Colorado

For Chemistry

#79 in the United States

#208 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 84%

92. University of Massachusetts - Amherst

United States | Massachusetts

For Chemistry

#80 in the United States

#209 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1370
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 91%

93. Rice University

United States | Texas

For Chemistry

#81 in the United States

#211 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $19,902

94. Oregon Health & Science University

United States | Oregon

For Chemistry

#82 in the United States

#213 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 2,870
Male:Female: 30:70
Founded: 1887

95. University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester

United States | Massachusetts

For Chemistry

#83 in the United States

#214 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 1,352
Male:Female: 34:66
Founded: 1962

96. Providence College

United States | Rhode Island

For Chemistry

#84 in the United States

#217 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1340
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $43,970

97. Oregon State University

United States | Oregon

For Chemistry

#85 in the United States

#219 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $9,260
Enrollment: 34,292

98. University of Cincinnati

United States | Ohio

For Chemistry

#86 in the United States

#220 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 84%

99. University of Connecticut

United States | Connecticut

For Chemistry

#87 in the United States

#228 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1330
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 89%

100. University of Delaware

United States | Delaware

For Chemistry

#88 in the United States

#244 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1275
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 93%

Chemistry subfields in North America

Biochemical Engineering192

Biochemistry1303

Chemical Engineering635

Computational Chemistry375

Environmental Chemistry573

Inorganic Chemistry461

Materials Science1168

Nanotechnology609

Nutrition and Food Science517

Organic Chemistry1193

Petrology and Geochemistry470

Physical chemistry714

Polymer science and Plastics engineering213

Radiochemistry323