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Biochemistry & Biophysics Major

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Biochemistry & Biophysics

12,552 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
840 Master's Degrees Annually
#40 in Popularity
$96,420 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Biochemistry & Biophysics Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 12,552
Doctor’s Degree 909
Master’s Degree 840
Graduate Certificate 215
Associate Degree 13
Basic Certificate 5
Undergraduate Certificate 1

What Biochemistry & Biophysics Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to biochemistry 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 Biochemistry Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in biochemistry should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

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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.
  • 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.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Biochemistry Majors

biochemistry majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

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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.
  • 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 Biochemistry Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a biochemistry student include the following:

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  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • 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 Biochemistry & Biophysics Major?

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

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Biochemists and Biophysicists 11.4% $93,280
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 Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry & Biophysics?

12,552 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
56% Percent Women
41% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology runs middle of the road when it comes to popularity, ranking #40 out of all the undergraduate majors we track. In 2021, about 12,552 graduates completed their bachelor’s degree in this field. The major attracts more women than men. About 56% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 2,332
Black or African American 617
Hispanic or Latino 1,594
White 6,275
International Students 808
Other Races/Ethnicities 926

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Biochemistry. About 6.4% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • China
  • India
  • South Korea
  • Vietnam
  • Canada

How Much Do Biochemistry & Biophysics Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology made a median starting salary of $30,485 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $27,152 (25th percentile) and $35,838 (75th percentile).

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It is possible that some of these people may have taken positions that were not related to biochemistry.

Salaries According to BLS

Biochemistry majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $83,600 to $105,940 (25th to 75th percentile). 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 Biochemistry & Biophysics Major  ( 83600 to 105940 )
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250K
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 biochemistry 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 biochemistry have obtained the following education levels.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 0.4%
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) 2.0%
Bachelor’s Degree 30.7%
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 16.6%
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. 0.4%
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. 0.5%
Doctoral Degree 21.7%
Post-Doctoral Training 21.7%

Online Biochemistry & Biophysics Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 753 schools offered some type of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular 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) 2 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 15 3
Bachelor’s Degree 12 0
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 240 2
Post-Master’s 8 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 243 1
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 2 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Biochemistry & Biophysics Worth It?

The median salary for a biochemistry 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 biochemistry.

Major Number of Grads
General Biology 107,165
Neurobiology & Neurosciences 11,615
Physiology & Pathology Sciences 8,813
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology 7,247
Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences 6,206
Microbiological Sciences & Immunology 4,566
Biological & Biomedical Sciences (Other) 4,420
Biotechnology 3,911
Zoology 2,984
Biomathematics & Bioinformatics 2,957
Genetics 1,543
Pharmacology & Toxicology 1,042
Botany/Plant Biology 691
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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