Biological & Physical Science Major

Biological and physical science is a major that typically falls into the Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies category.

There are 191 programs available throughout the country that offer an associate’s degree in biological science, 143 that offer a bachelor’s degree, and 48 that offer a master’s degree. There are also at least 16 schools in the nation where you can get your doctorate degree in the field.

Who Is Getting a Biological Science Degree?

This is a less frequently chosen major. Only 2,200 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biological and physical science in 2017. The major attracts more women than men. About 61.1% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial Distribution

At the countrywide level, the racial distribution of biological science majors is as follows:

• Asian: 10.8%
• Black or African American: 7.7%
• Hispanic or Latino: 9.6%
• White: 61.1%
• Non-Resident Alien: 2.7%
• Other Races: 8.2%

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in biological science. About 2.7% of those graduating in 2017 were international students. The most popular countries sending biological science majors to the U.S. are China, India and South Korea.

What Will You Learn as a Biological & Physical Science Major?

An O*NET survey asked people with careers related to biological science to rate how important certain subject areas were to their job. The following are some of the results of that survey. Importance was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Biological Science Majors

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

Skills for Biological Science Majors

A major in biological science prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

Abilities for Biological Science Majors

A major in biological science will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

What Can You Do With a Biological Science Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with biological science:

Careers Related to Biological & Physical Science

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860
Clinical Research Coordinators	9.9%	$123,860

Biological & Physical Science Major Salary

Average salaries range from $140,000 to $140,000 for careers related to biological science. 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, the typical high school graduate makes between $29,000 and $57,000 a year. The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $44,000 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,000 and $120,000.

The area of the country you choose to work in will also affect your career and salary prospects. Getting a graduate degree may open up more options with higher salary potential.

Amount of Education Required for Biological & Physical Science Major Jobs

Some careers associated with biological science may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

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

Education Levels for Careers Associated With Biological & Physical Science

Level of Education	Percentage of Workers
Less Than a High School Diploma	0%
High School Diploma or Equivalent	4.2%
Post-Secondary Certificate	4.3%
Some College Courses	0%
Associate's Degree or Equivalent	5.2%
Bachelor's Degree	49.1%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate	3.3%
Master's Degree	14.2%
Post-Master's Certificate	0%
First Professional Degree	0%
Doctoral Degree	11.4%
Post-Doctoral Training	7.1%

Online Biological & Physical Science Programs

There are 143 colleges that offer a bachelor’s degree in biological and physical science, with 3 of them offering at least some courses online.

Online learners must listen or watch video lectures, participate in group chats or forums, submit papers and assignments electronically, take tests, and meet deadlines.

Getting your degree online is not easy and includes watching and listening to hours of lectures, participating in group charts, submitting papers by the appropriate deadline and taking tests. Some online programs will also feature internships or in-person clinical hours.

Is a Biological & Physical Science Major Worth It?

The median salary for a biological science grad is $140,000 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 259% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $2,015,600 after 20 years!

Related Majors

• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Biological & Physical Science
• Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution
• Systems Theory
• Mathematics & Computer Science
• Biopsychology
• Gerontology
• Historic Preservation
• Medieval Studies
• Museum Studies
• Science, Technology & Society
• Accounting & Computer Science
• Behavioral Science
• Natural Sciences
• Nutrition Science
• International Studies
• Holocaust Studies
• Classical & Ancient Studies
• Multicultural & Diversity Studies
• Cognitive Science
• Cultural Studies & Analysis
• Human Biology
• Dispute Resolution
• Maritime Studies
• Computational Science
• Human Computer Interaction
• Marine Science
• Sustainability Science
• Other Interdisciplinary Studies

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
O*NET Online
Image Credit: Ernst Haeckel via License