Best universities for Chemistry (2026)

55 UK universities teaching Chemistry as a full-time degree, ranked on graduate pay, jobs, student satisfaction, students staying on and entry points.

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#	University	Score	Salary 5 yrs on	Working or studying	Satisfied	Typical UCAS
1	University of Oxford Oxford, South East · TEF Gold	69	£56k	87%	85%	216
2	Imperial College London Westminster, London · TEF Gold	69	£49.5k	90%	85%	200
3	University of Bristol Bristol, City of, South West · TEF Silver	63	£46k	89%	85%	168
4	University of Durham County Durham, North East · TEF Silver	62	£45k	92%	86%	184
5	University of Bath Bath and North East Somerset, South West · TEF Gold	61	£39.5k	85%	87%	168
6	University of Strathclyde Scotland	60	£33k	95%	92%	184
7	University of Warwick Coventry, West Midlands · TEF Gold	58	£37k	86%	89%	152
8	University of St Andrews Scotland	58	£35k	90%	88%	200
9	University of York York, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Gold	58	£34k	89%	89%	152
10	University of Southampton Southampton, South East · TEF Silver	57	£36.5k	90%	88%	152
11	University of Birmingham Birmingham, West Midlands · TEF Silver	57	£33k	91%	94%	152
12	King's College London Westminster, London · TEF Silver	56	£37.5k	90%	89%	152
13	University of Nottingham Nottingham, East Midlands · TEF Silver	55	£38k	92%	85%	136
14	University of Manchester Manchester, North West · TEF Silver	55	£36.5k	85%	85%	168
15	Loughborough University Charnwood, East Midlands · TEF Gold	55	£35.5k	90%	88%	136
16	University of Sheffield Sheffield, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Silver	55	£33.5k	90%	86%	152
17	Heriot-Watt University Scotland	55	£30k	90%	95%	184
18	UCL Camden, London · TEF Silver	54	£43.5k	80%	87%	152
19	University of Lancaster Lancaster, North West · TEF Gold	54	£30k	90%	94%	136
20	Cardiff University Cardiff, Wales	53	£34k	87%	87%	136
21	University of Aberdeen Scotland	53	£31.5k	100%	90%	136
22	Nottingham Trent University Nottingham, East Midlands · TEF Gold	53	£30k	90%	97%	88
23	University of Newcastle Upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne, North East · TEF Silver	52	£33.5k	85%	90%	136
24	University of Plymouth Plymouth, South West · TEF Gold	52	£32k	80%	97%	104
25	University of Leicester Leicester, East Midlands · TEF Gold	52	£31.5k	85%	92%	120
26	University of Surrey Guildford, South East · TEF Silver	51	£38.5k	75%	92%	104
27	University of Glasgow Scotland	51	£35k	90%	81%	184
28	University of Leeds Leeds, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Silver	51	£35k	85%	82%	152
29	University of Reading Wokingham, South East · TEF Silver	51	£34.5k	95%	92%	104
30	University of Liverpool Liverpool, North West · TEF Gold	51	£32k	89%	82%	136
31	Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Gold	50	£30.5k	100%	87%	104
32	University of Edinburgh Scotland	49	£35k	85%	79%	184
33	Queen's University Belfast Northern Ireland	49	—	80%	87%	152
34	University of Keele Newcastle-under-Lyme, West Midlands · TEF Gold	47	£30.5k	75%	95%	104
35	Queen Mary University of London Tower Hamlets, London · TEF Silver	46	£36k	80%	81%	120
36	Swansea University Swansea, Wales	46	£32k	85%	91%	96
37	Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester, North West · TEF Gold	46	£29k	85%	91%	104
38	University of Kent (Part of London and South East University Group) Canterbury, South East · TEF Silver	45	£31k	85%	90%	88
39	London Metropolitan University Hackney, London · TEF Silver	45	£30.5k	85%	97%	72
40	University of South Wales/Prifysgol De Cymru Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales	45	£28.5k	85%	91%	104
41	London South Bank University Southwark, London · TEF Silver	44	£31k	60%	98%	88
42	University of Northumbria at Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne, North East · TEF Silver	44	£26.5k	90%	90%	104
43	University of Lincoln Lincoln, East Midlands · TEF Gold	43	£25k	90%	81%	104
44	University of Sussex Brighton and Hove, South East · TEF Silver	42	£35k	65%	82%	120
45	Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool, North West · TEF Silver	42	£29k	80%	88%	96
46	University of Huddersfield Kirklees, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Gold	42	£28.5k	85%	81%	104
47	Kingston University Kingston upon Thames, London · TEF Gold	41	£33k	70%	85%	88
48	University of East Anglia Norwich, East of England · TEF Silver	41	£33k	70%	83%	120
49	De Montfort University Leicester, East Midlands · TEF Silver	40	£30k	85%	80%	104
50	University of Chester Cheshire West and Chester, North West · TEF Silver	40	—	90%	76%	104

How the score works: universities are compared within each subject on salary five years after graduating (27%), the share in work or further study (18%), student satisfaction (18%), students staying on (13.5%), typical UCAS points (13.5%, compared within each nation) and the TEF rating (10%, England). 50 is typical. Figures: Discover Uni (Office for Students, HESA), National Student Survey, Graduate Outcomes, HMRC LEO earnings; full-time first degrees.

More specific subjects

Chemistry

Questions

What is the best university for Chemistry?

On our measures University of Oxford ranks first for Chemistry, followed by Imperial College London, University of Bristol, University of Durham. Rankings depend on what matters to you, so compare pay, jobs and satisfaction.

Which university's Chemistry graduates earn the most?

University of Oxford: typical earnings of £56k five years after graduating (HMRC tax records).