Molecular Biochemistry

Types of Degrees Molecular Biochemistry Majors Are Getting

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

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	63
Doctor’s Degree	61

What Molecular Biochemistry Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to molecular biochemistry and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Molecular Biochemistry Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in molecular biochemistry should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• 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.
• Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
• 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.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Skills for Molecular Biochemistry Majors

When studying molecular biochemistry, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• 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.

Abilities for Molecular Biochemistry Majors

As a molecular biochemistry major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• 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.

What Can You Do With a Molecular Biochemistry Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with molecular biochemistry:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Biochemists and Biophysicists	11.4%	$93,280

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Molecular Biochemistry?

The major attracts more women than men. About 57% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	6
Black or African American	5
Hispanic or Latino	9
White	27
International Students	13
Other Races/Ethnicities	3

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Molecular Biochemistry, too. About 20.6% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Molecular Biochemistry

Some degrees associated with molecular 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 molecular biochemistry have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s Degree	18.2%
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.	4.6%
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.	4.6%
Doctoral Degree	40.9%
Post-Doctoral Training	31.8%

Online Molecular 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)	0	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	0	0
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	10	0
Post-Master’s	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	11	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Molecular Biochemistry

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

Major	Number of Grads
Biochemistry	10,015
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	1,653
Molecular Biology	1,438
Other Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology	312
Biophysics	286
Molecular Biophysics	167
Radiation Biology/Radiobiology	23
Structural Biology	18

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.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.