College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Biological & Physical Science Degree Guide

Biological & Physical Science is an interdisciplinary major that combines subjects in biology and physical sciences. Physical Science involves the nonliving physical world. Some of the subjects are astronomy, chemistry, geology, physics, math, and meteorology. In contrast, biology involves the study of the living world. Combining the two subjects will allow you to apply abstract formulas and theories to real world situations to come up with concrete solutions.

Depending on the fields in which you focus, your courses will vary. However, you can expect to take biology, chemistry, physics, and advanced mathematics.

A Spike in Biological & Physical Science Degrees

#38 Most Popular Major
30.1k Degrees Awarded
3.0% Increase in Graduates

Biological & Physical Science was the 38th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 30,075 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 913 over the prior year, a growth of 3.0%.

This year's Best Biological & Physical Science Schools ranking compares 102 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of biological science programs later in this article.

2023 Best Colleges for Biological & Physical Science
2023 Overall Best Biological & Physical Science Colleges >

Best Biological & Physical Science Schools by Degree

Associate Degrees in Biological & Physical Science
Bachelor's Degrees in Biological & Physical Science
Master's Degrees in Biological & Physical Science
Doctorate Degrees in Biological & Physical Science

What Are The Requirements For a Degree in Biological & Physical Science

This program will demand very analytical thinking. As you conduct experiments and get results, you will learn how to analyze your results with accuracy and precision. You should enjoy problem solving and experimenting. Answers will come to those with persistence in repeating tests over and over again.

You will spend a lot of time working on teams for group projects, in labs, or during a study group. You should be able to serve as a contributing team member and collaborate with your peers. Work on your writing skills so you can clearly explain your findings.

Prior Education for a Biological Science Program

biological and physical science degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. Specific biological science careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.

Biological & Physical Science Degree Types

Biological Science degree levels vary. You can get anything from a in biological and physical science to the highest biological science degree, a . How long it takes to complete some common biological science degree levels is shown below.

Degree Credit Requirements Typical Program Length
Associate Degree 60-70 credits 2 years
Bachelor’s Degree 120 credits 4 years
Master’s Degree 50-70 credits 1-3 years
Doctorate Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation At least 4 years

A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to biological science, with approximately 48.9% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for biological science workers below.

Level of Education Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s Degree 49.1%
Master’s Degree 14.2%
Doctoral Degree 11.4%
Post-Doctoral Training 7.1%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 5.2%

87.6% of biological science workers have at least a bachelor's. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in biological and physical science careers have.

undefined

The education level required is different depending on the biological science career you are seeking.

Biological Science Careers

Below Average Number of Jobs
$30.4k Average Starting Salary
10% Growth Job Outlook 2016-26

There are many career paths you can follow with a degree in Biological and Physical Science. The career you choose will depend on your focus as an undergraduate. Some may choose to continue their studies in graduate school. If you would rather go straight into a job you can find work as a lab researcher, biological technician, environmental scientist or chemist.

Solid Growth Projected for Biological Science Careers

Want a job when you graduate with your biological science degree? Biological & Physical Science careers are expected to grow 9.9% between 2016 and 2026.

The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to biological and physical science.

Occupation Name Projected Jobs Expected Growth
Natural Sciences Managers 62,300 9.9%

How Much Money Do Biological Science Grads Make?

Recently graduated biological and physical science students earned an average of $30,430 in 2019-2020. Earnings can range from as low as $12,715 to as high as $74,298. As you might expect, salaries for biological science graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.

undefined

High Paying Careers for Biological Science Majors

Salaries for biological and physical science graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers biological science grads often go into.

Occupation Name Median Average Salary
Natural Sciences Managers $139,680

Getting Your Biological & Physical Science Degree

With over 432 different biological science degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased biological science school rankings to help you with this.

Study Areas in Biological & Physical Science

Biological & Physical Science is one of 44 different types of Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies programs to choose from.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Other Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 34,975
Interdisciplinary Studies 9,074
International Studies 7,368
Nutrition Science 5,330
Behavioral Science 4,169

View All Biological Science Related Majors >

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options