Human Biology

Types of Degrees Human Biology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many human biology graduations there were in 2017-2018 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	1,065
Associate’s Degree	1

What Human Biology Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to human biology and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Human Biology Majors

Human Biology majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Human Biology Majors

human biology majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• 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 Human Biology Majors

As a human biology major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• 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.
• 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.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

What Can You Do With a Human Biology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with human biology:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Anthropologists	3.9%	$62,410
Biological Science Professors	15.1%	$82,550
Molecular and Cellular Biologists	8.0%	$79,590
Social Sciences Professors	9.8%	$71,600

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Biology?

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 1,065 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in human biology in 2018, making it rank #161 in popularity. The major attracts more women than men. About 75% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	219
Black or African American	129
Hispanic or Latino	150
White	458
International Students	22
Other Races/Ethnicities	87

Geographic Diversity

Human Biology appeals to people across the globe. About 2.1% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• Canada
• China
• South Korea
• Nigeria
• United Kingdom

How Much Do Human Biology Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that human biology students who graduated in 2015-2017 with a bachelor’s degree made a median starting salary of $29,800 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $27,925 (25th percentile) and $32,650 (75th percentile).

One thing to note here is that not all of these people may be working in careers related to human biology.

Salaries According to BLS

Human Biology majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $65,310 to $87,950 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

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.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Human Biology

Some careers associated with human biology require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. 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.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to human biology have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	1.2%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	0.5%
Bachelor’s Degree	9.4%
Master’s Degree	24.8%
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.	1.2%
Doctoral Degree	36.8%
Post-Doctoral Training	27.8%

Online Human Biology Programs

In 2017-2018, 27 schools offered a human biology program of some type. 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	2	0
Bachelor’s Degree	1	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	0	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Human Biology Worth It?

The median salary for a human biology grad is $83,600 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 110% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $874,000 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Human Biology

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

Major	Number of Grads
Other Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies	34,540
Biological & Physical Science	27,751
International Studies	8,097
Interdisciplinary Studies	6,179
Nutrition Science	4,990
Behavioral Science	4,502
Natural Sciences	2,445
Cognitive Science	1,875
Sustainability Science	1,682
Gerontology	1,380
Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution	1,297
Human Computer Interaction	1,146
Science, Technology & Society	1,060
Mathematics & Computer Science	833
Museum Studies	778
Systems Theory	694
Computational Science	619
Dispute Resolution	583
Historic Preservation	446
Multicultural & Diversity Studies	416
Classical & Ancient Studies	315
Marine Science	243
Cultural Studies & Analysis	236
Biopsychology	158
Medieval Studies	119
Holocaust Studies	54
Accounting & Computer Science	45
Maritime Studies	15

References

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.