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Microbiology

Types of Degrees Microbiology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Microbiology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	3
Bachelor’s Degree	2,170
Master’s Degree	247
Doctor’s Degree	226

What Microbiology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Microbiology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Microbiology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Microbiology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Microbiology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Documenting/Recording Information	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Processing Information	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Microbiology 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	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Microbiology graduates include:

• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Clinical Project Manager
• Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator
• Clinical Research Manager
• Clinical Research Monitor
• Clinical Program Coordinator
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Clinical Trial Manager
• Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Program Manager
• Clinical Research Director
• Postdoctoral Researcher
• Postdoctoral Fellow
• Clinical Data Coordinator

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	42.5%
Master’s degree	14.5%
Doctoral degree	11.0%
Post-doctoral training	10.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	5.9%
Some college courses	4.4%
Postsecondary certificate	4.0%
High school diploma or equivalent	4.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.1%
Less than a high school diploma	0.1%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Microbiology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 63.2% of Microbiology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,672	63.2%
Men	974	36.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,252	47.3%
Asian	366	13.8%
Hispanic or Latino	630	23.8%
Black or African American	70	2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	4	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.1%
Two or More Races	121	4.6%
Race Unknown	65	2.5%
International Students	136	5.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Microbiology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Microbiology 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	$39,180
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.}

Online Microbiology Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for Microbiology. 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	1

^{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 Microbiology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Microbiology 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 and Immunology	26.0508
Mycology	26.0506
Parasitology	26.0505
Virology	26.0504
Biochemistry	26.0202
Biology/Biological Sciences, General	26.0101
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology	26.0406

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.