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Toxicology

Types of Degrees Toxicology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Toxicology may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	48
Master’s Degree	52
Doctor’s Degree	52

What Toxicology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Toxicology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 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 Toxicology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Toxicology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Toxicology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Geographic information system GIS software	Geographic information system	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Toxicology graduates include:

• Faculty Member
• Professor
• Lecturer
• Instructor
• College Professor
• Associate Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Assistant Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• University Faculty Member
• Toxicology Teacher
• Educational Therapy Teacher
• Public Health Aides Teacher
• Physical Therapy Professor
• Nutrition Aides Teacher

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	29.3%
Bachelor’s degree	23.9%
Doctoral degree	18.7%
Post-doctoral training	17.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.1%
Postsecondary certificate	2.8%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.5%
Some college courses	1.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.3%
Post-master’s certificate	0.5%
First professional degree	0.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Toxicology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 70.4% of Toxicology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	107	70.4%
Men	45	29.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	75	49.3%
Asian	10	6.6%
Hispanic or Latino	18	11.8%
Black or African American	23	15.1%
Two or More Races	6	3.9%
International Students	20	13.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Toxicology Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Toxicology 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	$58,787
4 years	$74,178
5 years	$91,829

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $91,829 — roughly 56% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Toxicology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Toxicology graduates earn a median of $74,178 four years after completion — roughly 95% 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
Pharmacology and Toxicology	26.10
Environmental Toxicology	26.1006
Molecular Pharmacology	26.1002
Molecular Toxicology	26.1005
Neuropharmacology	26.1003
Pharmacology and Toxicology, Other	26.1099
Pharmacology and Toxicology	26.1007
Pharmacology	26.1001
Anatomy	26.0403
Cell/Cellular Biology and Histology	26.0401
Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology	26.0503
Biostatistics	26.1102

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.