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Molecular Biophysics

Types of Degrees Molecular Biophysics Majors Are Earning

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

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	166
Doctor’s Degree	21

What Molecular Biophysics Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

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

• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Molecular Biophysics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Molecular 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 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Molecular 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
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Molecular Biophysics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific 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 Molecular Biophysics graduates include:

• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Postdoctoral Associate
• Clinical Research Administrator
• Clinical Trial Coordinator
• Clinical Research Monitor
• Clinical Research Coordinator
• Oncology Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Trial Manager
• Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator
• Clinical Study Manager
• Clinical Program Coordinator
• Postdoctoral Researcher
• Clinical Coordinator

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	38.3%
Post-doctoral training	16.6%
Doctoral degree	16.3%
Master’s degree	10.9%
Postsecondary certificate	5.2%
Some college courses	4.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	3.2%
First professional degree	0.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Molecular Biophysics?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 43.9% women and 56.1% men among Molecular Biophysics graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	82	43.9%
Men	105	56.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	15	8.0%
Asian	5	2.7%
Hispanic or Latino	6	3.2%
Black or African American	3	1.6%
Race Unknown	32	17.1%
International Students	126	67.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Molecular Biophysics Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Molecular 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.}

Is a Degree in Molecular Biophysics Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Molecular 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
Biophysics	26.0203
Molecular Biochemistry	26.0205
Molecular Biology	26.0204
Photobiology	26.0208
Radiation Biology/Radiobiology	26.0209
Structural Biology	26.0207
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other	26.0499
Aerospace Physiology and Medicine	26.0912

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.