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Oncology & Cancer Biology

Types of Degrees Oncology & Cancer Biology Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Oncology & Cancer Biology can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	16
Master’s Degree	48
Doctor’s Degree	129

What Oncology & Cancer Biology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Oncology & Cancer Biology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Biology — Importance 4.9 / 5; level 6.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills built by a Oncology & Cancer Biology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Science — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Oncology & Cancer Biology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Oncology & Cancer Biology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.6 / 7
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Processing Information	4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.4 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.3 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Oncology & Cancer Biology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Statistical software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Spreadsheet software	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
iParadigms Turnitin	Information retrieval or search software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Oncology & Cancer Biology graduates include:

• Taxonomy Teacher
• Microbiology Professor
• Protozoology Teacher
• Botany Teacher
• Adjunct Biology Instructor
• Cytology Teacher
• Zoology Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Plant Taxonomy Teacher
• College Professor
• Biophysics Teacher
• Embryology Professor
• Biology Adjunct Professor
• Embryology Teacher
• Mammalogy Teacher

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	44.6%
Post-doctoral training	34.2%
Master’s degree	15.7%
Bachelor’s degree	2.6%
Post-master’s certificate	2.1%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	0.9%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Oncology & Cancer Biology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 61.1% of Oncology & Cancer Biology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	118	61.1%
Men	75	38.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Oncology & Cancer Biology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	77	39.9%
Asian	24	12.4%
Hispanic or Latino	23	11.9%
Black or African American	8	4.1%
Two or More Races	6	3.1%
Race Unknown	9	4.7%
International Students	46	23.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Oncology & Cancer Biology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Oncology & Cancer Biology 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	$32,024
4 years	$53,598
5 years	$65,802

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $65,802 — roughly 105% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Oncology & Cancer Biology Programs

Distance learning are documented by IPEDS for Oncology & Cancer Biology. 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
Master’s	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 Oncology & Cancer Biology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Oncology & Cancer Biology graduates earn a median of $53,598 four years after completion — roughly 41% 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
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences	26.09
Aerospace Physiology and Medicine	26.0912
Biomechanics	26.0913
Cardiovascular Science	26.0907
Cell Physiology	26.0903
Endocrinology	26.0904
Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology	26.0908
Molecular Physiology	26.0902
Pathology/Experimental Pathology	26.0910
Physiology, General	26.0901
Physiology, Pathology, and Related Sciences, Other	26.0999
Reproductive Biology	26.0905

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.