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Biostatistics

Types of Degrees Biostatistics Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Biostatistics can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	77
Master’s Degree	1,207
Doctor’s Degree	262

What Biostatistics Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Biostatistics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills developed in a Biostatistics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Biostatistics graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Processing Information	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Biostatistics 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	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Geographic information system GIS software	Geographic information system	—
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Biostatistics graduates include:

• College Professor
• Lecturer
• Adjunct Instructor
• Associate Professor
• Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Instructor
• College Faculty Member
• Assistant Professor
• Neurology Professor
• Clinical Sciences Professor
• Mental Health Aides Teacher
• Educational Therapy Teacher
• Physical Medicine Teacher
• Teacher

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	31.7%
Bachelor’s degree	25.2%
Doctoral degree	16.7%
Post-doctoral training	15.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.5%
Postsecondary certificate	3.0%
Some college courses	2.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.3%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.2%
Post-master’s certificate	0.5%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Biostatistics?

Gender Distribution

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

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	949	61.4%
Men	597	38.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	374	24.2%
Asian	226	14.6%
Hispanic or Latino	62	4.0%
Black or African American	37	2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.1%
Two or More Races	25	1.6%
Race Unknown	38	2.5%
International Students	783	50.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Biostatistics Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Biostatistics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$82,809
4 years	$104,458
5 years	$123,442

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $123,442 — roughly 49% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Biostatistics Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for Biostatistics. 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
Master’s	1	5

^{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 Biostatistics Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Biostatistics graduates earn a median of $104,458 four years after completion — roughly 175% 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
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	26.11
Bioinformatics	26.1103
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Other	26.1199
Biometry/Biometrics	26.1101
Computational Biology	26.1104
Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology	26.0503
Anatomy	26.0403
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology	26.0406
Cell/Cellular Biology and Histology	26.0401
Epidemiology and Biostatistics	26.1311
Microbiology and Immunology	26.0508
Molecular Biology	26.0204

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.