Best Chemistry Schools Near Durham, NC (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Durham, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering chemistry programs. Durham has a population of about 288,465. Median household income is $79,234 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 55.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, the top-earning chemistry-related role is Chemical Engineers at a median $117,440 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Chemistry Schools to Durham

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer chemistry programs near Durham, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Durham city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Durham. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

North Carolina Central University

Durham, NC 0.5 miles from Durham
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,968
Avg net price $15,359/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Duke University

Durham, NC 2.4 miles from Durham
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
82.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $97,800
Avg net price $29,612/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 144

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Carolina schools on the North Carolina chemistry page.

Chemistry Wages Near Durham

Durham is part of the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area (BLS area code 20500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Chemists $81,580 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $83,586
Biochemists and Biophysicists $87,650 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $89,805
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary $78,620 NC statewide $80,553
Chemical Technicians $64,500 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $66,086
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists $96,430 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $98,801
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $82,840 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $84,877
Chemical Engineers $117,440 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $120,328
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $57,870 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $59,293

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Durham at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 288,465 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $79,234 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 55.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 97.6 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Durham-Area Cities With Chemistry Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited chemistry schools are near Durham, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering chemistry programs near Durham. The closest is North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC (0.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is North Carolina State University at Raleigh (18.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying chemistry roles near Durham?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying chemistry-related roles near Durham are: Chemical Engineers ($117,440), Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists ($96,430), Biochemists and Biophysicists ($87,650). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Chapel Hill instead of Durham?

Chapel Hill, NC is 8.4 miles from Durham and has its own set of local chemistry programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Durham an affordable place to study chemistry?

Durham’s median household income of $79,234 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Durham while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Chemistry Programs

Other Programs Available in Durham

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Durham:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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