2020 Biological & Biomedical Sciences Degree Guide

Biological and Biomedical Sciences is all about studying life. You will learn how molecules become cells and how cells become organisms. With many options for majors and concentrations, this is a great field for students who love math, science, nature and the environment.

During your classes you will be required to collect data from the lab and the field. This involves getting outdoors into forests and rivers, as well as examining specimens in the laboratory and under the microscope. You will get very intimate with all different kinds of organisms and explore their populations and their environment. This major is for a student who is ready to work hard in order to gain a strong foundation in biology with strong content knowledge in chemistry, physics, and mathematics.

Students can major in General Biology. However, you also have the opportunity to pick a more specialized major. Ecology involves learning about interactions of living and nonliving things in all sorts of ecosystems. Neurobiology and Neuroscience allows you to study the way the brain functions and the importance of the nervous system as well as the evolution of the brain. If you are more interested in exploring the animal kingdom you may choose to major in Zoology. Students with a more medical bent might be interested in Microbiology Sciences and Immunology, where they will get the chance to study bacteria and infectious disease.

Explore additional the majors in this field of study to see what peaks your interests.

Biological & Biomedical Sciences Degrees On The Rise

Biological & Biomedical Sciences was the 9th most popular major in the 2017-2018 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 157,997 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 3,939 over the prior year, a growth of 2.5%.

Approximately 1,422 colleges in the U.S. offer a biological and biomedical sciences degree of some kind. This year's Best Colleges for Biological & Biomedical Sciences ranking compares 824 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom biological and biomedical sciences rankings further below.

Biological & Biomedical Sciences Degree Requirements

Biology is a great field for curious students who love learning about how living organisms grow, adapt and survive. Many of the fields can be quite rigorous and competitive. Be prepared for long hours in the lab doing research, analyzing results and writing lab reports.

Completing your coursework will help you develop critical thinking and analytic skills. You will need to read and evaluate scientific material, learn terminology and memorize formulas. Problem solving skills will help you work through difficult scenarios. Accuracy and attention to detail are absolutely necessary when performing experiments and recording results.

Students will often work with partners or in groups, making communication and collaboration important. You need to be a team player as well as leader. Don't be afraid to listen to theories and perspectives that may challenge your opinions. Work on your writing and speaking skills in order to present information clearly and accurately.

Some programs may require field experience or allow students to pursue internships or independent research. This experience is valuable and will make you more competitive in the workplace.

Biological & Biomedical Sciences Degree Program Entry Requirements

A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most biological and biomedical sciences degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. Once you obtain your degree, additional biological and biomedical sciences certifications required to pursue a career in this field.

Types of Biological & Biomedical Sciences Degrees

There are various different levels of biological and biomedical sciences degrees. Biological & Biomedical Sciences programs offered by schools range from a first year certificate to a professional practice doctorate, which is the highest biological and biomedical sciences degree you can get. Depending on the biological and biomedical sciences degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.

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 and biomedical sciences, with approximately 36.2% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to biological and biomedical sciences tend obtained the following education levels.

Level of Education	Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s Degree	35.9%
Master’s Degree	25.1%
Doctoral Degree	16.7%
Post-Doctoral Training	13.9%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate	3.7%

Most workers in biological and biomedical sciences have at least a master's degree. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in biological and biomedical sciences have obtained.

This of course varies depending on which biological and biomedical sciences career you choose.

Career Opportunities for A Degree In Biological & Biomedical Sciences Graduate

With a strong academic background, graduates with a degree in biology will have the ability to enter many different occupations. Many become lab scientists working for a variety of medical, health or environmental industries. There are many opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry to work as a researcher, developer, sales person, marketer, or medical laboratory assistant.

Some careers in biology will require a minimum of a master's degree. Some careers that biology majors have gone into are professor, biotechnologist, biomedical engineer, lawyer, forensic scientist, or zoologist. Many grads also eventually become doctors, nurses, pharmacists or veterinarians.

High Growth Projected for Biological & Biomedical Sciences Careers

Want a job when you graduate with your biological and biomedical sciences degree? Biological & Biomedical Sciences careers are expected to grow 17.1% between 2016 and 2026.

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

Occupation Name	Projected Jobs	Expected Growth
High School Teachers	1,095,500	7.5%
Software Applications Developers	1,086,600	30.7%
Computer Workers	313,800	9.3%
Health Specialties Professors	294,000	25.9%
Medical Scientists	136,100	13.4%

How Much Money Do People With a Biological & Biomedical Sciences Degree Make?

Biological & Biomedical Sciences graduates between 2015-2017 reported earning an average of $30,065 in the 2017-2018 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $9,400 to as high as $168,000. As you might expect, salaries for biological and biomedical sciences graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.

High Paying Careers for Biological & Biomedical Sciences Majors

Salaries for biological and biomedical sciences graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top 5 highest paying careers biological and biomedical sciences grads often go into.

Occupation Name	Median Average Salary
Natural Sciences Managers	$139,680
Computer and Information Research Scientists	$123,850
Health Specialties Professors	$122,320
Software Applications Developers	$108,080
Biochemists and Biophysicists	$105,940

Getting Your Biological & Biomedical Sciences Degree

With over 9,130 different biological and biomedical sciences 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 and biomedical sciences school rankings to help you with this.

Majors Related to Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Biological & Biomedical Sciences Majors to Study

Major	Annual Graduates
General Biology	95,805
Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology	14,048
Neurobiology & Neurosciences	8,716
Physiology & Pathology Sciences	8,072
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology	6,799

View All Biological & Biomedical Sciences Related Majors >

Most Popular Related Majors

Related Major	Annual Graduates
Computer & Information Sciences	209,723
Engineering	197,582
Engineering Technologies	92,253
Physical Sciences	53,768
Mathematics & Statistics	47,138

View All Biological & Biomedical Sciences Related Majors >

References

• National Center for Education Statistics

• O*NET Online

• Image Credit: By Kelly White under License