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Developmental Biology & Embryology

Types of Degrees Developmental Biology & Embryology Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Developmental Biology & Embryology can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	35
Master’s Degree	15
Doctor’s Degree	38

What Developmental Biology & Embryology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Developmental Biology & Embryology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Biology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.6 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 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 built by a Developmental Biology & Embryology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Developmental Biology & Embryology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Developmental Biology & Embryology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.6 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Developmental Biology & Embryology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Geographic information system GIS software	Geographic information system	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
DOC Cop	Information retrieval or search software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Developmental Biology & Embryology graduates include:

• University Faculty Member
• Associate Professor
• College Professor
• Professor
• Instructor
• Faculty Member
• Adjunct Instructor
• Assistant Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Lecturer
• Podiatric Medicine Professor
• Pharmacy Teacher
• Neurosurgery Professor
• Clinical Assistant Professor
• Medicine Teacher

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	30.8%
Doctoral degree	26.4%
Post-doctoral training	24.8%
Bachelor’s degree	12.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.9%
Postsecondary certificate	1.7%
Post-master’s certificate	0.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.4%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Developmental Biology & Embryology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 65.9% of Developmental Biology & Embryology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	58	65.9%
Men	30	34.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	32	36.4%
Asian	21	23.9%
Hispanic or Latino	8	9.1%
Black or African American	11	12.5%
Two or More Races	3	3.4%
Race Unknown	2	2.3%
International Students	11	12.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Developmental Biology & Embryology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Developmental Biology & Embryology 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.}

Is a Degree in Developmental Biology & Embryology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Developmental Biology & Embryology 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 and Molecular Biology	26.0406
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other	26.0499
Cell/Cellular Biology and Histology	26.0401
Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology	26.0503
Pharmacology	26.1001
Toxicology	26.1004
Biomechanics	26.0913
Biostatistics	26.1102
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.