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Plant Molecular Biology

Types of Degrees Plant Molecular Biology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Plant Molecular Biology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	1
Master’s Degree	1
Doctor’s Degree	10

What Plant Molecular Biology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

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

• Biology — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 6.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.

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

Skills

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

• Science — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

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

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Analyzing Data or Information	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Processing Information	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Plant Molecular Biology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Basic Local Alignment Search Tool BLAST	Analytical or scientific software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
ClustalW	Analytical or scientific software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Plant Molecular Biology graduates include:

• Scientist
• Research Scientist
• Botanist
• Biologist
• Entomologist
• Postdoctoral Associate (Postdoc Associate)
• Cell Biologist
• Neurophysiologist
• Molecular Biology Scientist
• Molecular Research Biologist
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Postdoc Research Fellow)
• Pharmacogeneticist
• Clinical Cytogeneticist
• Medical Geneticist
• Clinical Geneticist

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	29.5%
Post-doctoral training	24.7%
Bachelor’s degree	20.7%
Doctoral degree	16.5%
Post-master’s certificate	2.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.4%
First professional degree	1.2%
Postsecondary certificate	1.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Plant Molecular Biology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 66.7% of Plant Molecular Biology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	4	33.3%
Men	8	66.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	7	58.3%
Hispanic or Latino	3	25.0%
Race Unknown	1	8.3%
International Students	1	8.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Plant Molecular Biology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Plant Molecular Biology 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	$32,663
4 years	$39,154
5 years	$38,098

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $38,098 — roughly 17% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Plant Molecular Biology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Plant Molecular Biology graduates earn a median of $39,154 four years after completion — roughly 3% 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
Botany/Plant Biology	26.03
Botany/Plant Biology, Other	26.0399
Botany/Plant Biology	26.0301
Plant Pathology/Phytopathology	26.0305
Plant Physiology	26.0307
Anatomy	26.0403
Animal Genetics	26.0804
Animal Physiology	26.0707
Aquatic Biology/Limnology	26.1304
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	26.0210

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.