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Biophysics

Types of Degrees Biophysics Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Biophysics can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	156
Master’s Degree	62
Doctor’s Degree	127

What Biophysics Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Biophysics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set developed in a Biophysics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 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 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Biophysics graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	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	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.0 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Biophysics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
StataCorp Stata	Analytical or scientific software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Biophysics graduates include:

• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Oncology Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Study Manager
• Clinical Trial Manager
• Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Manager
• Clinical Research Administrator
• Clinical Program Manager
• Clinical Program Coordinator
• Clinical Data Coordinator
• Clinical Research Director
• Clinical Coordinator
• Postdoctoral Associate

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	35.4%
Doctoral degree	18.2%
Post-doctoral training	17.4%
Master’s degree	12.2%
Postsecondary certificate	4.7%
Some college courses	3.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.9%
First professional degree	0.8%
Post-master’s certificate	0.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Biophysics?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 44.1% women and 55.9% men among Biophysics graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	152	44.1%
Men	193	55.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	155	44.9%
Asian	48	13.9%
Hispanic or Latino	39	11.3%
Black or African American	7	2.0%
Two or More Races	11	3.2%
Race Unknown	14	4.1%
International Students	71	20.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Biophysics Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Biophysics 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.}

Online Biophysics Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Biophysics. 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
Bachelor’s	1	0

^{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 Biophysics Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Biophysics 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 and Molecular Biology	26.0210
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Other	26.0299
Biochemistry	26.0202
Molecular Biochemistry	26.0205
Molecular Biology	26.0204
Molecular Biophysics	26.0206
Photobiology	26.0208
Radiation Biology/Radiobiology	26.0209
Structural Biology	26.0207
Aerospace Physiology and Medicine	26.0912
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.