Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy Degrees (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy maps to BLS occupations averaging about $108,273, with roughly 493,010 workers nationwide in those roles. Median in-state published tuition is about $12,102; common paths include Biological Scientists, All Other and Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists.
Key Statistics
Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy: what the data shows
Common questions about natural products chemistry and pharmacognosy degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a natural products chemistry and pharmacognosy degree?
A Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy program is classified under NCES CIP 51.2005 in the Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration field family (51.20).
A program that focuses on the scientific study of biologically active compounds found in naturally occurring sources such as plants, animals, and microbes and their use and/or modification as medicinal substances. Includes instruction in medicinal chemistry, organic medicinals, pharmacological therapeutics, pharmacokinetics, molecular biology, structural chemistry, enzymes, nucleic acids, economic botany, ethnobotany, bioprospecting, bioassay, compound identification and isolation, mass spectrometry, and analytical instrumentation and techniques
IPEDS counted 32 completions for this CIP in the survey year in our extract.
Types of natural products chemistry and pharmacognosy degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 51.20 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Clinical and Industrial Drug Development (CIP 51.2006)
- Clinical, Hospital, and Managed Care Pharmacy (CIP 51.2008)
- Industrial and Physical Pharmacy and Cosmetic Sciences (CIP 51.2009)
- Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (CIP 51.2004)
- Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management (CIP 51.2011)
- Pharmaceutical Sciences (CIP 51.2010)
- Pharmaceutics and Drug Design (CIP 51.2003)
- Pharmacoeconomics/Pharmaceutical Economics (CIP 51.2007)
- Pharmacy (CIP 51.2001)
- Pharmacy Administration and Pharmacy Policy and Regulatory Affairs (CIP 51.2002)
How long does it take to get a natural products chemistry and pharmacognosy degree?
Award levels reported to IPEDS for CIP 51.2005 in our file:
- 32 Bachelor's (18.9% of IPEDS total)—typically four years
- 137 Master's (81.1% of IPEDS total)—one to two years beyond a bachelor's
Time to completion depends on enrollment intensity and transfer credits; figures above describe credential type, not calendar time for every student.
What degree do you need?
For Biological Scientists, All Other (top mapped occupation), O*NET incumbent surveys in our career profile report these education credentials most often: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
O*NET education distributions describe incumbent workers, not minimum legal or employer requirements.
What jobs can you get with a natural products chemistry and pharmacognosy degree?
Our degree→occupation mapping links Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy to the BLS roles below. Employment is U.S. OEWS; median wage is national May 2024 where published in our extract.
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Scientists, All Other | 59,710 | $93,330 |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | — | — |
| Veterinarians | 80,630 | $125,510 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | 84,930 | $80,060 |
| Respiratory Therapists | 136,420 | $80,450 |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | 131,320 | $45,980 |
See Careers & Jobs for mean wages and industry context.
Is a natural products chemistry and pharmacognosy degree worth it?
College Scorecard national medians for the Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration bachelor's program family: median debt $34,505, median earnings $116,539 four years after enrollment. Debt-to-earnings proxy: 0.70.
About 6.5% of graduates in this field family were not working and not enrolled one year after completion in Scorecard's national program medians.
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $12,102 and median net price is $19,216.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$12,102 Median In-State Public
$41,475 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy majors are, on average, $12,102 for in-state public colleges, and $41,475 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
100,000 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,615 |
| 2 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,615 |
| 3 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 58,267 |
| 4 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | 45,638 |
| 5 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | 45,638 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham Technical Community College | NC | $1,986 |
| 2 | Durham Technical Community College | NC | $1,986 |
| 3 | South Plains College | TX | $2,731 |
| 4 | North Idaho College | ID | $3,396 |
| 5 | Butler Community College | KS | $3,541 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham Technical Community College | NC | $1,664 |
| 2 | Durham Technical Community College | NC | $1,664 |
| 3 | CUNY York College | NY | $4,456 |
| 4 | East Mississippi Community College | MS | $4,608 |
| 5 | Brightpoint Community College | VA | $5,490 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy programs.
Graduation Rates
Graduation rate data is not available for this degree program.
Graduation/completion rates for Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy programs across institutions.
Where students complete this major (IPEDS)
Bachelor's-level completions (IPEDS Completions, award level 5) summed by institution state. State is taken from IPEDS Directory (HD2023) for each reporting institution.
Geographic concentration
The largest number of reported bachelor's completions for Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy is in MI (32 completions). That state represents about 100.0% of U.S. bachelor's completions reported for this CIP in the IPEDS file we use.
Among states, the highest concentration relative to all bachelor's degrees awarded in-state is MI (0.03% of that state's bachelor's completions).
Top states by count of bachelor's completions for this CIP (IPEDS).
| State | Bachelor's completions (this CIP) | % of U.S. total (this CIP) | % of state's all bachelor's |
|---|---|---|---|
| MI | 32 | 100.0% | 0.03% |
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 51.20 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Clinical and Industrial Drug Development CIP 51.2006
- Clinical, Hospital, and Managed Care Pharmacy CIP 51.2008
- Industrial and Physical Pharmacy and Cosmetic Sciences CIP 51.2009
- Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry CIP 51.2004
- Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management CIP 51.2011
- Pharmaceutical Sciences CIP 51.2010
- Pharmaceutics and Drug Design CIP 51.2003
- Pharmacoeconomics/Pharmaceutical Economics CIP 51.2007
- Pharmacy CIP 51.2001
- Pharmacy Administration and Pharmacy Policy and Regulatory Affairs CIP 51.2002
Degree Levels (IPEDS)
Completions reported to IPEDS for CIP 51.2005 in the survey year used in our extract (169 total across levels below).
- 32 Bachelor's (18.9% of IPEDS total)
- 137 Master's (81.1% of IPEDS total)
Source: IPEDS Completions (c2024_a), summed by award level for this CIP.
Careers & Jobs
Occupations linked to this major in our degree→career mapping, with wages and employment from processed BLS career profiles in this repo.
Across these BLS occupations, employment-weighted mean pay is about $108,273. Figures are national OEWS estimates for the occupation—not earnings of Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy graduates alone.
Related occupations (BLS OEWS)
| Occupation | Mean annual wage | U.S. employment |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $124,288 | 59,710 |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | — | — |
| Veterinarians | $172,853 | 80,630 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $110,339 | 84,930 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $109,692 | 136,420 |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | $58,529 | 131,320 |
Open each occupation for full career profile charts and industry breakdowns on EDsmart Data.
Program outcomes (College Scorecard)
National medians across bachelor's programs in the Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration CIP family (16 programs reporting debt). Not specific to every Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy graduate.
- $34,505 median federal loan debt among completers
- $116,539 median earnings four years after enrollment (national program median)
- 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio (Scorecard proxy)
- 6.5% of graduates not working and not enrolled one year out (program cohort)
Source: College Scorecard program-level outcomes aggregated by 4-digit CIP family.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$108,273 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy majors is $108,273.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy majors.
Occupations by Share
493,010 2023 Workforce
The number of Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy.
Age distribution for Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Counts below are bachelor's-level completions only (IPEDS Completions, award level 5).
32 Total Degrees Awarded
25 Male (78.12%)
7 Female (21.88%)
Gender distribution of Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Counts below are bachelor's-level completions only (IPEDS Completions, award level 5).
23 White (71.88%)
5 Hispanic or Latino (15.62%)
3 Asian (9.38%)
1 Two or More Races (3.12%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy majors.
About
A program that focuses on the scientific study of biologically active compounds found in naturally occurring sources such as plants, animals, and microbes and their use and/or modification as medicinal substances. Includes instruction in medicinal chemistry, organic medicinals, pharmacological therapeutics, pharmacokinetics, molecular biology, structural chemistry, enzymes, nucleic acids, economic botany, ethnobotany, bioprospecting, bioassay, compound identification and isolation, mass spectrometry, and analytical instrumentation and techniques
In 2023, 100,000 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy.
CIP Code
51.2005 - Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy
What the data shows
At the program-family level, College Scorecard reports median debt of $34,505 for bachelor's completers and median earnings near $116,539, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70. Those figures describe national program cohorts in this CIP family—not every individual Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy graduate.
Women earned 60.8% of 181 Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy completions in the IPEDS file used here.
Mapped BLS occupations show employment-weighted mean pay of about $108,273. The largest mapped role by headcount is Biological Scientists, All Other (59,710 U.S. jobs in OEWS).
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $12,102 in-state at public colleges and $41,475 at private institutions for programs in this field.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.