All About Biologists
Job Description & Duties Research or study basic principles of plant and animal life, such as origin, relationship, development, anatomy, and functions.
Life As a Biologist
- Teach or supervise students and perform research at universities and colleges.
- Plan and administer biological research programs for government, research firms, medical industries, or manufacturing firms.
- Measure salinity, acidity, light, oxygen content, and other physical conditions of water to determine their relationship to aquatic life.
- Supervise biological technicians and technologists and other scientists.
- Identify, classify, and study structure, behavior, ecology, physiology, nutrition, culture, and distribution of plant and animal species.
- Study and manage wild animal populations.
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Things a Biologist Should Know How to Do
These are the skills Biologists say are the most useful in their careers:
Science: Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Types of Biologist
- Botanist
- Physiologist
- Horticulturist
- Biological Scientist
- Cytologist
Is There Job Demand for Biologists?
In the United States, there were 112,800 jobs for Biologist in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 10,100 new jobs for Biologist by 2026. There will be an estimated 11,000 positions for Biologist per year.

Salary for a Biologist
The salary for Biologists ranges between about $44,100 and $140,240 a year.

Tools & Technologies Used by Biologists
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Biologists:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Python
- Microsoft Access
- Word processing software
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Structured query language SQL
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- Linux
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- UNIX
- R
- Geographic information system GIS software
- Minitab
- National Instruments LabVIEW
- Practical extraction and reporting language Perl
- Wolfram Research Mathematica
Becoming a Biologist
What kind of Biologist requirements are there?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Biologist?

Who Employs Biologists?

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Biologist might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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