Microbiology Science & Immunology

Types of Degrees Microbiology Science & Immunology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many microbiological sciences and immunology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	631
Doctor’s Degree	592
Graduate Certificate	21

What Microbiology Science & Immunology Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to microbiology 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 Microbiology Majors

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

• 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.
• 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 Microbiology Majors

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

• 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 Microbiology Majors

Microbiology majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• 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).
• 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 Microbiology Science & Immunology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with microbiology:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
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 Microbiology Science & Immunology?

The major attracts more women than men. About 66% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	66
Black or African American	36
Hispanic or Latino	75
White	337
International Students	61
Other Races/Ethnicities	56

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Microbiology, too. About 9.7% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

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

How Much Do Microbiology Science & Immunology Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The median early-career salary of microbiological sciences and immunology students with a master’s degree is $43,995 a year according to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $34,091 (25th percentile) and $54,939 (75th percentile).

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

Salaries According to BLS

Microbiology majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $83,600 to $97,340 (25th to 75th percentile). 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.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Microbiology Science & Immunology

Some careers associated with microbiology 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.

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

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	0.5%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	1.2%
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)	1.3%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	2.3%
Bachelor’s Degree	32.1%
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.	3.7%
Master’s Degree	18.4%
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.	0.5%
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	19.6%
Post-Doctoral Training	20.6%

Online Microbiology Science & Immunology Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 202 schools offered some type of microbiological sciences and immunology 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	6	0
Bachelor’s Degree	8	2
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	158	2
Post-Master’s	3	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	161	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Microbiology Science & Immunology Worth It?

The median salary for a microbiology 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!

Majors Related to Microbiology Science & Immunology

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

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
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.

• 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.