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Pathology/Experimental Pathology

Types of Degrees Pathology/Experimental Pathology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Pathology/Experimental Pathology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	28
Master’s Degree	126
Doctor’s Degree	152

What Pathology/Experimental Pathology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Pathology/Experimental Pathology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Biology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills developed in a Pathology/Experimental Pathology 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 4.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Pathology/Experimental Pathology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Pathology/Experimental Pathology graduates report doing:

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

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Pathology/Experimental Pathology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Pathology/Experimental Pathology graduates include:

• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Research Scientist
• Scientist
• Clinical Trial Coordinator
• Clinical Manager
• Oncology Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator
• Clinical Trial Manager
• Clinical Research Director
• Clinical Program Coordinator
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Clinical Research Manager
• Clinical Program Manager

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	31.3%
Post-doctoral training	20.3%
Master’s degree	18.2%
Doctoral degree	17.0%
Postsecondary certificate	3.6%
Some college courses	2.9%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.8%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.2%
Post-master’s certificate	1.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.7%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Pathology/Experimental Pathology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 63.7% of Pathology/Experimental Pathology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	195	63.7%
Men	111	36.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Pathology/Experimental Pathology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	134	43.8%
Asian	32	10.5%
Hispanic or Latino	26	8.5%
Black or African American	10	3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.3%
Two or More Races	17	5.6%
Race Unknown	30	9.8%
International Students	56	18.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Pathology/Experimental Pathology Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Pathology/Experimental Pathology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow 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.}

Is a Degree in Pathology/Experimental Pathology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Pathology/Experimental Pathology 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
Oncology and Cancer Biology	26.0911
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.