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Molecular Biology

Types of Degrees Molecular Biology Majors Are Earning

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

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	865
Master’s Degree	241
Doctor’s Degree	149

What Molecular Biology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Molecular Biology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Biology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills built by a Molecular Biology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

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

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

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by 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	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Molecular Biology graduates include:

• Clinical Project Manager
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Research Coordinator
• Research Scientist
• Scientist
• Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Program Manager
• Clinical Research Director
• Clinical Study Manager
• Clinical Research Administrator
• Clinical Coordinator
• Oncology Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator
• Clinical Research Manager
• Clinical Research Monitor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	33.2%
Master’s degree	19.4%
Post-doctoral training	18.2%
Doctoral degree	15.4%
Postsecondary certificate	3.3%
Some college courses	2.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.1%
Post-master’s certificate	0.9%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Molecular Biology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 61.4% of Molecular Biology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	771	61.4%
Men	484	38.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	602	48.0%
Asian	226	18.0%
Hispanic or Latino	145	11.6%
Black or African American	70	5.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.2%
Two or More Races	59	4.7%
Race Unknown	27	2.2%
International Students	124	9.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Molecular Biology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of 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 Molecular Biology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, 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 and Molecular Biology	26.0210
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Other	26.0299
Biochemistry	26.0202
Biophysics	26.0203
Molecular Biochemistry	26.0205
Molecular Biophysics	26.0206
Photobiology	26.0208
Radiation Biology/Radiobiology	26.0209
Structural Biology	26.0207
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology	26.0406
Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology	26.0503

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.