by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 2 U.S. colleges awarded 17 degrees and certificates in Structural Biology. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 82% of graduates. College Factual ranks 1 schools in its 2027 Best Structural Biology Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $39,854 one year after completing, rising to $68,946 after four years.
A major in Structural Biology covers Structural Biology. A Program That Focuses On The Scientific Study Of Submolecular And Molecular Components And Assemblies Of Living Systems And How They Are Organized Into Functional Units Such As Cells And Anatomic Tissues. Includes Instruction In Glycoprotein, Carbohydrate, Protein, And Nucleic Acid Structures And Chemistry; Cytoskeletal Structure; Nuclear And Intracellular Structures; Molecular Recognition; Molecular Chaperones; Transcription And Folding; Multicellular Organization; Microtubules And Microfilaments; Cell Differentiation; Immunophysics; And Dna Sequencing.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, structural biology draws strong interest, with 17 degrees awarded annually. 2 colleges award structural biology degrees, an average of 8 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 14.
By level, the 17 awards include 14 bachelor’s degrees, 1 master’s degrees and 2 doctorates.
Women earned 59% of structural biology degrees and certificates in the latest year (10 of 17). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (9) and multiracial (3), and international students earned 3.
College Factual ranks 1 schools in its 2027 Best Structural Biology Schools ranking, including 1 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks structural biology schools within 1 state. In all, 2 colleges offer structural biology programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Structural Biology Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common structural biology credential is the bachelor’s degree: 14 of the 17 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to structural biology call most for Reading Comprehension, Writing and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Biology, English Language and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Expression and Written Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a structural biology degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 14 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 2 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to structural biology, at 35.3%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 35.3% |
| Post-doctoral training | 19.8% |
| Master’s degree | 16.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 14.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.3% |
| Some college courses | 2.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.4% |
| First professional degree | 0.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.5% |
Source: O*NET Online.
11 occupations are related to Structural Biology, with an average median salary of $92,706; the strongest outlook belongs to Clinical Research Coordinators, at 10.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Scientist, Clinical Project Manager, Clinical Trials Manager and Research Coordinator.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to structural biology, at 542,888.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Research Coordinators | 542,888 | 10.4% |
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 276,211 | 6.3% |
| Geneticists | 183,832 | -1.1% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 179,495 | 8.7% |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | 164,357 | 8.7% |
| Microbiologists | 140,194 | -2.7% |
| Biologists | 118,631 | -3.6% |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists | 95,666 | 3.7% |
Structural Biology graduates earn a median $39,854 one year after completing their program, $68,946 after four years and $71,448 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $39,854 |
| 4 years | $68,946 |
| 5 years | $71,448 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to structural biology is Water Resource Specialists, with a median salary of $179,716.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Water Resource Specialists | $179,716 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $132,227 |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | $110,931 |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists | $107,979 |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | $100,077 |
| Bioinformatics Scientists | $92,484 |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $79,550 |
| Microbiologists | $73,155 |
Structural Biology has 8 similar majors in the Biological & Biomedical Sciences field, which together award 14,712 degrees a year; the largest are Biochemistry (10,285), Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (1,633) and Molecular Biology (1,409). Browse all Biological & Biomedical Sciences majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Biochemistry | 10,285 |
| Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | 1,633 |
| Molecular Biology | 1,409 |
| Molecular Biochemistry | 514 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Other | 336 |
| Biophysics | 303 |
| Molecular Biophysics | 207 |
| Radiation Biology/Radiobiology | 25 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
