Other Biological Sciences

Types of Degrees Other Biological Sciences Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many biological and biomedical sciences (other) graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	1,552
Doctor’s Degree	203
Graduate Certificate	167

What Other Biological Sciences Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, biomedical science 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 Biomedical Science Majors

Biomedical Science majors often go into careers in which the following 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Skills for Biomedical Science Majors

When studying biomedical science, 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:

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

Abilities for Biomedical Science Majors

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

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

What Can You Do With a Other Biological Sciences Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with biomedical science:

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
Life Scientists	9.0%	$78,190
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Other Biological Sciences?

This major is dominated by women with about 62% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	209
Black or African American	257
Hispanic or Latino	296
White	565
International Students	78
Other Races/Ethnicities	147

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Biomedical Science, too. About 5.0% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

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

How Much Do Other Biological Sciences Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that biological and biomedical sciences (other) students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree made a median starting salary of $31,399 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $21,666 (25th percentile) and $57,604 (75th percentile).

It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in biomedical science, 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 biomedical science. 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 Other Biological Sciences

Some careers associated with biomedical science require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. 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 biomedical science have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	2.6%
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)	2.7%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	3.7%
Bachelor’s Degree	30.9%
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.	2.1%
Master’s Degree	13.4%
Doctoral Degree	25.5%
Post-Doctoral Training	19.0%

Online Other Biological Sciences Programs

In 2020-2021, 160 schools offered a biomedical science program of some type. 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)	5	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	1	0
Associate’s Degree	9	0
Bachelor’s Degree	9	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	59	4
Post-Master’s	3	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	38	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Other Biological Sciences Worth It?

The median salary for a biomedical science 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!

Majors Related to Other Biological Sciences

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

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
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.

• 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.