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Structural Biology

Types of Degrees Structural Biology Majors Are Earning

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

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	12
Doctor’s Degree	2

What Structural Biology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

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

• Biology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills developed in a Structural 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 4.4 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 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 4.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Structural 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
Analyzing Data or Information	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	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 Structural Biology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation 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	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Structural Biology graduates include:

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

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	35.3%
Post-doctoral training	19.8%
Master’s degree	16.4%
Doctoral degree	14.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.4%
Postsecondary certificate	3.3%
Some college courses	2.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.4%
First professional degree	0.5%
Post-master’s certificate	0.5%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Structural Biology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 85.7% of Structural Biology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	12	85.7%
Men	2	14.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	6	42.9%
Asian	4	28.6%
Hispanic or Latino	2	14.3%
Two or More Races	1	7.1%
International Students	1	7.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Structural Biology Graduates Earn?

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

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Structural 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 Biology	26.0204
Molecular Biophysics	26.0206
Photobiology	26.0208
Radiation Biology/Radiobiology	26.0209
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other	26.0499
Immunology	26.0507

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.