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Genetics

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 26.0801 - 26.0899.

Types of Degrees Genetics Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Genetics have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	740
Master’s Degree	612
Doctor’s Degree	381

What Genetics Majors Need to Know

Studies in Genetics develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Genetics graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Genetics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Biology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Genetics 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 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Genetics careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Genetics graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.5 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.4 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	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	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.0 / 7
Processing Information	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Genetics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite 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	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
FileMaker Pro	Data base user interface and query software	—
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Progeny Software Progeny Clinical	Medical software	—
PedHunter	Medical software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Genetics graduates include:

• Genetic Counselor
• Cancer Program Consultant
• Genetics Counselor
• Medical Science Liaison
• Cancer Genetic Counselor
• Prenatal and Pediatric Genetic Counselor
• Prenatal Genetic Counselor
• Pediatric Genetic Counselor
• Genetic Counseling Medical Specialist
• Clinical Reviewer
• Mitochondrial Disorders Counselor
• Certified Genetic Counselor
• Reproductive Genetic Counseling Coordinator
• Chromosomal Disorders Counselor
• Genetic Coordinator

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	68.1%
Bachelor’s degree	11.4%
Post-doctoral training	8.8%
Doctoral degree	7.2%
Postsecondary certificate	1.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.0%
Some college courses	1.0%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.4%
Post-master’s certificate	0.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Genetics?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 70.3% of Genetics degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,219	70.3%
Men	514	29.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Genetics graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,011	58.3%
Asian	187	10.8%
Hispanic or Latino	139	8.0%
Black or African American	69	4.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native	5	0.3%
Two or More Races	68	3.9%
Race Unknown	45	2.6%
International Students	209	12.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Genetics Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Genetics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$43,852
4 years	$57,533
5 years	$73,410

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $73,410 — roughly 67% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Genetics Programs

Fully online options is reported by IPEDS for Genetics. 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
Master’s	5	3

^{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 Genetics Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Genetics graduates earn a median of $57,533 four years after completion — roughly 51% 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.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Biological Biomedical Sciences	179,083
Biology, General	101,585
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	13,820
Neurobiology and Neurosciences	12,819
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences	11,175
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	9,295
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	6,355
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology	4,711
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other	4,612
Biotechnology	3,869
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	3,638
Zoology/Animal Biology	3,408

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.