This question comes up every single year, usually around October, once the reality of the workload sets in and a student wants to know it's actually going toward something concrete. It usually is, but the details matter more than most students expect going in.
How broadly is it accepted
AP Chemistry is one of the most reliably credited AP exams across colleges. Thousands of schools offer some form of credit or placement for it, and a majority accept a score as low as a 3. That said, a smaller group of schools requires a 4, and a handful of very selective, science heavy schools, places like Yale, Caltech, and MIT, offer little or no credit for it no matter your score, since they'd rather have incoming science majors take their own introductory sequence.
Why the policy varies so much
Every college sets its own policy, and it usually reflects how rigorous their own intro chemistry course is relative to the AP curriculum. A school with a less intensive intro sequence is more likely to view AP Chemistry as equivalent. A school that prides itself on a famously difficult first year chemistry class is less likely to let AP credit substitute for it.
Is it worth taking if you're not going into a science field
This is really two separate questions. As a course, AP Chemistry demonstrates rigor on a college application regardless of your intended major, and that signal has value on its own. As a source of college credit specifically, it matters much less if your degree was never going to require a chemistry class anyway. In that case, the credit itself is a nice bonus, not the main reason to take the course.
For an intended STEM major, it's a different calculation entirely. Skipping an introductory chemistry course can save real time and tuition money, and it lets you move into upper level courses in your major sooner.
The one thing to actually do about it
Don't guess. Every college publishes its own AP credit policy, usually searchable directly from the registrar's office website, and it's worth checking for any school you're seriously considering before assuming the credit will transfer the way you expect.
Either way, the score is what opens the door
Seven plus years as an AP Chemistry educator, 500 plus students, and 65 percent scoring a 5. Whatever a specific college's policy turns out to be, a strong score is what gives you the option in the first place.
Questions I get asked about college credit
What score do you need on AP Chemistry to get college credit?
It depends entirely on the college. Many schools accept a 3, some require a 4, and a small number of highly selective schools only give credit for a 5, or don't offer credit for it at all. Always check the specific policy of the college you plan to attend.
Is AP Chemistry worth taking if I'm not majoring in a science field?
It can still be worth it for the credit and the rigor it shows on an application, but the calculation is different than for a future STEM major, since you may not need the specific chemistry credit at all depending on your intended degree.
Do all colleges accept AP Chemistry credit?
No. AP Chemistry is broadly accepted, but a handful of schools, often ones with very rigorous intro chemistry sequences for their own science majors, offer little or no credit for it regardless of score.