Biological Sciences

Types of Degrees Biological Sciences Majors Are Getting

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

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	79,087
Associate Degree	7,513
Master’s Degree	3,822
Doctor’s Degree	1,109
Basic Certificate	683
Graduate Certificate	89
Undergraduate Certificate	22

What Biological Sciences Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to biological sciences 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 Biological Sciences Majors

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

• 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.
• Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• 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.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Biological Sciences Majors

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

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• 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.
• 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.

Abilities for Biological Sciences Majors

As you progress with your biological sciences degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

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

What Can You Do With a Biological Sciences Major?

People with a biological sciences degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Biological Science Professors	15.1%	$82,550
Clinical Research Coordinators	9.9%	$123,860
Life Scientists	9.0%	$78,190
Molecular and Cellular Biologists	8.0%	$79,590
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	7.5%	$60,320
Water Resource Specialists	9.9%	$123,860

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences?

The major attracts more women than men. About 68% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of biological sciences majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	11,178
Black or African American	7,988
Hispanic or Latino	14,089
White	37,868
International Students	2,172
Other Races/Ethnicities	5,792

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Biological Sciences, too. About 2.7% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Biological Sciences

Some careers associated with biological sciences require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. 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.

Find out what the typical degree level is for biological sciences careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	0.5%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	1.3%
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)	1.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	1.9%
Bachelor’s Degree	39.2%
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.	4.7%
Master’s Degree	20.0%
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.	0.9%
Doctoral Degree	16.6%
Post-Doctoral Training	13.5%

Online Biological Sciences 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)	13	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	2	0
Associate’s Degree	365	18
Bachelor’s Degree	32	8
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	389	14
Post-Master’s	4	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	151	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	2	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Biological Sciences

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to biological sciences.

Major	Number of Grads
General Biomedical Sciences	11,558

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

More about our data sources and methodologies.