Cell Biology

Types of Degrees Cell Biology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many cell biology & anatomical sciences graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	4,605
Doctor’s Degree	812
Master’s Degree	703
Graduate Certificate	116
Basic Certificate	36
Associate Degree	2

What Cell Biology Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to cell biology and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Cell Biology Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in cell biology should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Cell Biology Majors

When studying cell biology, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Abilities for Cell Biology Majors

As a cell biology major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Cell Biology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with cell biology:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Biochemists and Biophysicists	11.4%	$93,280
Biological Science Professors	15.1%	$82,550
Clinical Research Coordinators	9.9%	$123,860
Epidemiologists	8.2%	$69,660
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists	13.4%	$84,810
Microbiologists	8.2%	$71,650
Molecular and Cellular Biologists	8.0%	$79,590
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860
Water Resource Specialists	9.9%	$123,860

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Cell Biology?

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 4,623 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in cell biology & anatomical sciences in 2021, making it rank #83 in popularity. The major attracts more women than men. About 64% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of cell biology majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	1,483
Black or African American	175
Hispanic or Latino	646
White	1,661
International Students	278
Other Races/Ethnicities	362

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Cell Biology, too. About 6.0% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Cell Biology

Some degrees associated with cell biology may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to cell biology have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	0.4%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	1.0%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	1.0%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	1.8%
Bachelor’s Degree	27.9%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	3.3%
Master’s Degree	21.7%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	0.8%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	0.4%
Doctoral Degree	21.9%
Post-Doctoral Training	19.9%

Online Cell Biology Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	0	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	1	0
Bachelor’s Degree	10	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	146	0
Post-Master’s	7	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	152	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Cell Biology

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to cell biology.

Major	Number of Grads
General Biology	103,883
Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology	14,354
Neurobiology & Neurosciences	12,903
Physiology & Pathology Sciences	10,453
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology	9,123
Microbiological Sciences & Immunology	4,815
Biological & Biomedical Sciences (Other)	4,637
Biotechnology	3,836
Biomathematics & Bioinformatics	3,505
Zoology	3,246
Genetics	1,703
Pharmacology & Toxicology	1,179
Botany/Plant Biology	743
Molecular Medicine	130

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Kelvin Song under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.