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Pharmacology & Toxicology Major

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Pharmacology & Toxicology

216 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
459 Master's Degrees Annually
#248 in Popularity
$97,340 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Pharmacology & Toxicology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many pharmacology and toxicology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Master’s Degree 459
Doctor’s Degree 338
Bachelor’s Degree 216
Graduate Certificate 28
Basic Certificate 1

What Pharmacology & Toxicology Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to pharmacology 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 Pharmacology Majors

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

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  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • 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.

Skills for Pharmacology Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to pharmacology:

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  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • 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.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for Pharmacology Majors

Pharmacology majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

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

What Can You Do With a Pharmacology & Toxicology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with pharmacology:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Biological Science Professors 15.1% $82,550
Clinical Research Coordinators 9.9% $123,860
Health Specialties Professors 25.9% $97,370
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 13.4% $84,810
Molecular and Cellular Biologists 8.0% $79,590
Natural Sciences Managers 9.9% $123,860
Water Resource Specialists 9.9% $123,860

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacology & Toxicology?

216 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
61% Percent Women
48% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 216 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in pharmacology and toxicology in 2021, making it rank #248 in popularity. The major attracts more women than men. About 61% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 45
Black or African American 17
Hispanic or Latino 28
White 90
International Students 13
Other Races/Ethnicities 23

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Pharmacology. About 6.0% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • India
  • China
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Korea
  • Nigeria

How Much Do Pharmacology & Toxicology Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

The median starting salary of students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a bachelor’s degree in pharmacology was $40,455 per year. These stats come from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $29,681 (25th percentile) and $43,367 (75th percentile).

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It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in pharmacology, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Pharmacology majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $96,420 to $122,320 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for a Pharmacology & Toxicology Major  ( 96420 to 122320 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with pharmacology 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.

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

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 0.5%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 1.2%
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) 1.6%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 2.3%
Bachelor’s Degree 28.3%
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. 1.7%
Master’s Degree 20.8%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. 0.0%
Doctoral Degree 21.9%
Post-Doctoral Training 21.8%

Online Pharmacology & Toxicology Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 132 schools offered some type of pharmacology and toxicology program. 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 7 3
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 124 0
Post-Master’s 4 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 137 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 1 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Pharmacology & Toxicology Worth It?

The median salary for a pharmacology grad is $97,340 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 144% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,148,800 after 20 years!

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

Major Number of Grads
General Biology 107,165
Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology 14,535
Neurobiology & Neurosciences 11,615
Physiology & Pathology Sciences 8,813
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology 7,247
Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences 6,206
Microbiological Sciences & Immunology 4,566
Biological & Biomedical Sciences (Other) 4,420
Biotechnology 3,911
Zoology 2,984
Biomathematics & Bioinformatics 2,957
Genetics 1,543
Botany/Plant Biology 691
Molecular Medicine 83

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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