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Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology

Types of Degrees Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	6
Bachelor’s Degree	3,527
Master’s Degree	450
Doctor’s Degree	505

What Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Biology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.2 / 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 Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology graduates report doing:

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

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Cell/Cellular & Molecular 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	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology graduates include:

• Clinical Project Manager
• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Research Scientist
• Scientist
• Clinical Research Administrator
• Clinical Research Director
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Clinical Manager
• Clinical Program Manager
• Clinical Study Manager
• Clinical Trial Manager
• Postdoctoral Fellow
• Clinical Trial Coordinator
• Clinical Coordinator

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	33.2%
Master’s degree	19.4%
Post-doctoral training	18.2%
Doctoral degree	15.4%
Postsecondary certificate	3.3%
Some college courses	2.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.1%
Post-master’s certificate	0.9%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 63.4% of Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	2,845	63.4%
Men	1,643	36.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,627	36.3%
Asian	1,296	28.9%
Hispanic or Latino	613	13.7%
Black or African American	155	3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	13	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	4	0.1%
Two or More Races	236	5.3%
Race Unknown	86	1.9%
International Students	458	10.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Cell/Cellular & Molecular 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	$39,752
4 years	$59,833
5 years	$74,905

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $74,905 — roughly 88% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology. 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
Doctoral (Research)	1	0

^{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 Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology graduates earn a median of $59,833 four years after completion — roughly 57% 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
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	26.04
Anatomy	26.0403
Cell Biology and Anatomy	26.0407
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other	26.0499
Cell/Cellular Biology and Histology	26.0401
Developmental Biology and Embryology	26.0404
Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology	26.0503
Microbiology and Immunology	26.0508
Molecular Biology	26.0204
Biochemistry	26.0202
Biology/Biological Sciences, General	26.0101
Biostatistics	26.1102

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.