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Environmental Microbiology Major

Environmental Microbiology

407 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
35 Master's Degrees Annually
#404 in Popularity

Types of Degrees Environmental Microbiology Majors Are Getting

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

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 410
Master’s Degree 50
Doctor’s Degree 17
Basic Certificate 5
Graduate Certificate 2

What Environmental Microbiology Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to environmental microbiology were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Environmental Microbiology Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

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  • Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • 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.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Skills for Environmental Microbiology Majors

A major in environmental microbiology prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

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  • Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • 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 Environmental Microbiology Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a environmental microbiology student include the following:

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  • 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.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

What Can You Do With a Environmental Microbiology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with environmental microbiology:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Molecular and Cellular Biologists 8.0% $79,590

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Microbiology?

410 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
64% Percent Women
17% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
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 environmental microbiology majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 7
Black or African American 10
Hispanic or Latino 38
White 320
International Students 10
Other Races/Ethnicities 25

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Environmental Microbiology. About 2.4% of those with this major are international students.

Some degrees associated with environmental microbiology 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 environmental microbiology have obtained the following education levels.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 4.4%
Bachelor’s Degree 30.4%
Master’s Degree 13.0%
Doctoral Degree 21.7%
Post-Doctoral Training 30.4%

Online Environmental Microbiology 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 3 0
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 13 1
Post-Master’s 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 6 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to environmental microbiology.

Major Number of Grads
Epidemiology 3,179
Marine Biology 2,368
Ecology 1,122
Evolutionary Biology 807
Conservation Biology 433
Other Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology 333
Evolutionary Biology 178
Aquatic Biology/Limnology 96
Epidemiology and Biostatistics 80
Population Biology 29
Biological Systematics 14

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.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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