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Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Instructional programs that focus on the biological sciences and the non-clinical biomedical sciences, and that prepare individuals for research and professional careers as biologists and biomedical scientists.

Types of Degrees Biological & Biomedical Sciences Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Biological & Biomedical Sciences can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	293
Associate’s Degree	8,968
Bachelor’s Degree	133,744
Master’s Degree	26,951
Doctor’s Degree	9,127

What Biological & Biomedical Sciences Majors Need to Know

Programs in Biological & Biomedical Sciences develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Biological & Biomedical Sciences graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Biological & Biomedical Sciences emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Biological & Biomedical Sciences program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Biological & Biomedical Sciences careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Biological & Biomedical Sciences graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7
Processing Information	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Biological & Biomedical Sciences professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	✓
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Biological & Biomedical Sciences graduates include:

• College Professor
• Associate Professor
• Instructor
• College Faculty Member
• Lecturer
• Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Assistant Professor
• Faculty Member
• Adjunct Instructor
• Research Scientist
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Clinical Project Manager
• Research Coordinator
• Scientist

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Biological & Biomedical Sciences graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	28.8%
Master’s degree	27.8%
Post-doctoral training	15.4%
Doctoral degree	14.9%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.5%
Postsecondary certificate	3.1%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.1%
Some college courses	2.0%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.5%
Post-master’s certificate	0.6%
First professional degree	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Biological & Biomedical Sciences?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 66.6% of Biological & Biomedical Sciences degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	119,330	66.6%
Men	59,753	33.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Biological & Biomedical Sciences graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	84,171	47.0%
Asian	26,042	14.5%
Hispanic or Latino	29,806	16.6%
Black or African American	13,862	7.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	543	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	259	0.1%
Two or More Races	8,265	4.6%
Race Unknown	4,329	2.4%
International Students	11,806	6.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Biological & Biomedical Sciences Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Biological & Biomedical Sciences graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$34,915
4 years	$50,943
5 years	$63,792

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $63,792 — roughly 83% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Biological & Biomedical Sciences Programs

Online study is tracked by IPEDS for Biological & Biomedical Sciences. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	31	26
Bachelor’s	48	80
Master’s	82	113
Doctoral (Research)	7	24

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Biological & Biomedical Sciences Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Biological & Biomedical Sciences graduates earn a median of $50,943 four years after completion — roughly 34% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.