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Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Types of Degrees Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Biochemistry & Molecular Biology can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	1,133
Master’s Degree	172
Doctor’s Degree	177

What Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Biology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.3 / 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 built by a Biochemistry & Molecular Biology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Biochemistry & Molecular Biology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.4 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Biochemistry & Molecular Biology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology graduates include:

• Clinical Trials Manager
• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Scientist
• Clinical Research Director
• Postdoctoral Fellow
• Clinical Trial Coordinator
• Clinical Study Manager
• Clinical Program Manager
• Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Manager
• Clinical Research Administrator
• Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator
• Clinical Research Monitor
• Postdoctoral Associate

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	32.7%
Post-doctoral training	21.2%
Master’s degree	16.6%
Doctoral degree	16.1%
Postsecondary certificate	3.7%
Some college courses	2.9%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.9%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.2%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.7%
First professional degree	0.6%
Post-master’s certificate	0.5%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 57.9% women and 42.1% men among Biochemistry & Molecular Biology graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	858	57.9%
Men	624	42.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	740	49.9%
Asian	255	17.2%
Hispanic or Latino	151	10.2%
Black or African American	72	4.9%
Two or More Races	85	5.7%
Race Unknown	19	1.3%
International Students	160	10.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology 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	$39,812
4 years	$57,445
5 years	$71,613

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $71,613 — roughly 80% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology graduates earn a median of $57,445 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	CIP Code
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	26.02
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Other	26.0299
Biochemistry	26.0202
Biophysics	26.0203
Molecular Biochemistry	26.0205
Molecular Biology	26.0204
Molecular Biophysics	26.0206
Photobiology	26.0208
Radiation Biology/Radiobiology	26.0209
Structural Biology	26.0207
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other	26.0499
Anatomy	26.0403

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.