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Genetics Major

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Genetics

356 Master's Degrees Annually
305 Doctor's Degrees Annually
#170 in Popularity (Master's)
$96,420 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Genetics Majors Are Getting

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

Education Level Number of Grads
Master’s Degree 356
Doctor’s Degree 305
Graduate Certificate 56

What Genetics Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, genetics 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 Genetics Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

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  • Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • 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.
  • 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 Genetics Majors

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

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  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Abilities for Genetics Majors

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

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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 Genetics Major?

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

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Biological Science Professors 15.1% $82,550
Biological Scientists 8.0% $79,590
Clinical Research Coordinators 9.9% $123,860
Geneticists 8.0% $79,590
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 13.4% $84,810
Molecular and Cellular Biologists 8.0% $79,590
Natural Sciences Managers 9.9% $123,860

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Genetics?

356 Master's Degrees Annually
72% Percent Women
28% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This major is dominated by women with about 72% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 32
Black or African American 17
Hispanic or Latino 36
White 207
International Students 34
Other Races/Ethnicities 30

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Genetics, too. About 9.6% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • China
  • India
  • Taiwan
  • South Korea
  • Saudi Arabia

How Much Do Genetics Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

According to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a master’s degree in genetics have a median salary of $78,684 during the early years of their career. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $78,684 (25th percentile) and $78,684 (75th percentile).

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It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in genetics, 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 genetics. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

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 Genetics Major  ( 83600 to 97340 )
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Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some careers associated with genetics require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for genetics careers below.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 0.6%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 1.4%
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) 1.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 2.0%
Bachelor’s Degree 22.1%
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. 1.3%
Master’s Degree 13.5%
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 26.4%
Post-Doctoral Training 31.5%

Online Genetics Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 97 schools offered some type of genetics 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) 0 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 0 0
Bachelor’s Degree 15 4
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 84 3
Post-Master’s 4 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 85 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Genetics Worth It?

The median salary for a genetics grad is $96,420 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 142% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,130,400 after 20 years!

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

Major Number of Grads
General Biology 8,920
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
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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