by our College Data Analytics TeamMedical Scientist was the 484th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 853 degrees in this year alone. This represents a 3.8% increase in medical scientist degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 821.
This year's Best Medical Scientist Schools ranking compares 60 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of medical scientist programs later in this article.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents is a required skill for medical scientist majors. Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience and using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems are all required skills for careers related to this major.
medical scientist 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. In addition to these basic medical scientist program qualifications, to serve in some medical scientist careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are many different medical scientist degree levels. You can spend many years getting as high as a in medical scientist to something that takes less time like a . The type of medical scientist degree you choose will determine how long it takes to get your diploma.
| 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 master's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to medical scientist, with approximately 27.4% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to medical scientist tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 27.1% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 26.9% |
| Doctoral Degree | 19.0% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 17.1% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 2.6% |
64.4% of medical scientist workers have at least a master's. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in medical scientist careers have.
This of course varies depending on which medical scientist career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your medical scientist degree? Medical Scientist careers are expected to grow 12.1% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to medical scientist.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Scientists | 136,100 | 13.4% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 62,300 | 9.9% |
| Epidemiologists | 6,600 | 8.2% |
As you might expect, salaries for medical scientist graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for medical scientist graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers medical scientist grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Natural Sciences Managers | $139,680 |
| Medical Scientists | $96,420 |
| Epidemiologists | $75,690 |
With over 120 different medical scientist 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 medical scientist school rankings to help you with this.
One of 2 majors within the Medical Science area of study, Medical Scientist has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Clinical and Translational Science | 52 |
| Temporomandibular Disorders and Orofacial Pain | 4 |
