Find Affordable College Courses

What Do You Want to Study?

Biochemistry Major

Biochemistry

840 Master's Degrees Annually
909 Doctor's Degrees Annually
#125 in Popularity (Master's)

Types of Degrees Biochemistry Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many biochemistry, biophysics & molecular biology graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level Number of Grads
Doctor’s Degree 1,118
Master’s Degree 953
Graduate Certificate 169

What Biochemistry Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, biochemistry majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Biochemistry Majors

Biochemistry majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

undefined
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Biochemistry Majors

A major in biochemistry prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

undefined
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • 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.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Biochemistry Majors

A major in biochemistry will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

undefined
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Biochemistry Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with biochemistry:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Biochemists and Biophysicists 11.4% $93,280
Biological Science Professors 15.1% $82,550
Clinical Research Coordinators 9.9% $123,860
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 13.4% $84,810
Microbiologists 8.2% $71,650
Molecular and Cellular Biologists 8.0% $79,590
Natural Sciences Managers 9.9% $123,860
Water Resource Specialists 9.9% $123,860

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Biochemistry?

953 Master's Degrees Annually
61% Percent Women
34% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
The major attracts more women than men. About 61% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of biochemistry majors is as follows:

undefined
Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 108
Black or African American 54
Hispanic or Latino 144
White 400
International Students 203
Other Races/Ethnicities 44

Geographic Diversity

Biochemistry appeals to people across the globe. About 21.3% of those with this major are international students.

Some degrees associated with biochemistry may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to biochemistry have obtained the following education levels.

undefined
Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 0.4%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 1.1%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) 1.2%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 2.0%
Bachelor’s Degree 30.7%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 3.7%
Master’s Degree 16.6%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. 0.4%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. 0.5%
Doctoral Degree 21.7%
Post-Doctoral Training 21.7%

Online Biochemistry Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 4 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 18 4
Bachelor’s Degree 15 2
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 237 1
Post-Master’s 8 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 237 1
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 3 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to biochemistry.

Major Number of Grads
General Biology 103,883
Neurobiology & Neurosciences 12,903
Physiology & Pathology Sciences 10,453
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology 9,123
Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences 6,274
Microbiological Sciences & Immunology 4,815
Biological & Biomedical Sciences (Other) 4,637
Biotechnology 3,836
Biomathematics & Bioinformatics 3,505
Zoology 3,246
Genetics 1,703
Pharmacology & Toxicology 1,179
Botany/Plant Biology 743
Molecular Medicine 130

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Find Graduate Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited graduate schools across the U.S.