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Microbiology & Immunology

Types of Degrees Microbiology & Immunology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Microbiology & Immunology may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	183
Master’s Degree	133
Doctor’s Degree	127

What Microbiology & Immunology Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Microbiology & Immunology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Microbiology & Immunology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Microbiology & Immunology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Biology — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.4 / 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 3.3 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Microbiology & Immunology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

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

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Microbiology & Immunology 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, Microbiology & Immunology 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
Analyzing Data or Information	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

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

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Microbiology & Immunology graduates include:

• Scientist
• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Research Scientist
• Research Associate
• Postdoctoral Associate
• Postdoctoral Researcher
• Clinical Trial Manager
• Clinical Study Manager
• Clinical Data Coordinator
• Clinical Manager
• Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator
• Clinical Coordinator
• Postdoctoral Fellow

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	35.5%
Master’s degree	19.0%
Post-doctoral training	17.1%
Doctoral degree	14.3%
Postsecondary certificate	3.1%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.7%
Some college courses	2.5%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.9%
Post-master’s certificate	0.8%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Microbiology & Immunology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 67.9% of Microbiology & Immunology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	301	67.9%
Men	142	32.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Microbiology & Immunology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	186	42.0%
Asian	59	13.3%
Hispanic or Latino	84	19.0%
Black or African American	40	9.0%
Two or More Races	14	3.2%
Race Unknown	12	2.7%
International Students	48	10.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Microbiology & Immunology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Microbiology & Immunology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$39,180
4 years	$52,367
5 years	$65,002

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $65,002 — roughly 66% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Microbiology & Immunology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Microbiology & Immunology graduates earn a median of $52,367 four years after completion — roughly 38% 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
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology	26.05
Immunology	26.0507
Infectious Disease and Global Health	26.0509
Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology	26.0503
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, Other	26.0599
Microbiology, General	26.0502
Mycology	26.0506
Parasitology	26.0505
Virology	26.0504
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology	26.0406
Molecular Biology	26.0204
Anatomy	26.0403

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.