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General Biology Major

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General Biology

6,910 Master's Degrees Annually
1,564 Doctor's Degrees Annually
#31 in Popularity (Master's)
$89,150 Median Salary

Types of Degrees General Biology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many general biology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Master’s Degree 6,968
Doctor’s Degree 1,568
Graduate Certificate 384

What General Biology Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to biology were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Biology Majors

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

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  • 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.
  • Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Skills for Biology Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to biology:

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  • 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.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for Biology Majors

As you progress with your biology degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

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

What Can You Do With a General Biology Major?

People with a biology degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Biological Science Professors 15.1% $82,550
Clinical Research Coordinators 9.9% $123,860
Life Scientists 9.0% $78,190
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 13.4% $84,810
Molecular and Cellular Biologists 8.0% $79,590
Natural Sciences Managers 9.9% $123,860
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 7.5% $60,320
Water Resource Specialists 9.9% $123,860

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in General Biology?

6,968 Master's Degrees Annually
62% Percent Women
41% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
General Biology runs middle of the road when it comes to popularity, ranking #31 out of all the graduate majors we track. In 2021, about 6,910 graduates completed their master’s degree in this field. The major attracts more women than men. About 62% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 1,070
Black or African American 713
Hispanic or Latino 836
White 3,256
International Students 550
Other Races/Ethnicities 543

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Biology. About 7.9% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • China
  • India
  • South Korea
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Canada

How Much Do General Biology Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that general biology students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree made a median starting salary of $36,880 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $27,823 (25th percentile) and $47,822 (75th percentile).

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It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in biology, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $83,600 to $97,340 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to biology. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for a General Biology Major  ( 83600 to 97340 )
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Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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Some degrees associated with biology may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

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

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 0.5%
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) 1.6%
Bachelor’s Degree 34.1%
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. 4.2%
Master’s Degree 20.0%
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. 0.8%
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. 0.0%
Doctoral Degree 18.5%
Post-Doctoral Training 18.2%

Online General Biology Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 1,769 schools offered some type of general biology program. 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) 19 1
Certificate (2-4 Years) 1 0
Associate’s Degree 376 17
Bachelor’s Degree 49 7
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 513 18
Post-Master’s 10 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 232 2
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in General Biology Worth It?

The median salary for a biology grad is $89,150 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 123% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $985,000 after 20 years!

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

Major Number of Grads
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology 3,221
Physiology & Pathology Sciences 2,488
Biomathematics & Bioinformatics 2,290
Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology 1,964
Biological & Biomedical Sciences (Other) 1,922
Biotechnology 1,567
Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences 1,509
Microbiological Sciences & Immunology 1,244
Neurobiology & Neurosciences 1,241
Pharmacology & Toxicology 825
Genetics 717
Zoology 489
Botany/Plant Biology 371
Molecular Medicine 83

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.

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