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Occupational Outlook Handbook > Field of Degree > Biology >

Field of degree: Biology

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Biology field of degree. Employment: 2,990,900. Median annual wage: $65,000.

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Table 1. Biology degree, 2018
Data	Biology	All fields
Employment	2,990,900	55,381,020
Median wage	$65,000	$59,000
Percent employed part time	16	15
Percent employed in occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree	69	59
Percent with an advanced degree	59	37
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.

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Chart 1. Types of biology majors, 2018
Biology majors	Major share
Biology	65%
Biochemical sciences	8
Microbiology	5
Physiology	4
Zoology	4
Other	14
Note: The sum of percents by major may not total 100 due to rounding. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.

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Chart 2. Employment distribution of workers with a biology degree, by occupational group, 2018
Occupational group	Occupational group share
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations	35%
Management occupations	11
Educational instruction and library occupations	10
Life, physical, and social science occupations	10
Business and financial operations occupations	5
Other	29
Note: The sum of percents by major may not total 100 due to rounding. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.

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Table 2. Top-employing occupations for workers with a biology degree
Occupational Outlook Handbook profile	Percent growth, projected 2019–29	Typical entry-level education	Percent degree holders in this field, this occupation, 2018	Percent of this occupation with an advanced degree, 2018
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary	21%	Doctoral or professional degree	4%	74%
Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians	7	Bachelor's degree	2	9
Registered nurses	7	Bachelor's degree	3	12
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists	6	Doctoral or professional degree	2	71
Physicians, all other; and ophthalmologists, except pediatric	4	Doctoral or professional degree	15	100
Elementary school teachers, except special education	4	Bachelor's degree	3	50
Dentists, general	3	Doctoral or professional degree	3	100
Personal service managers, all other; entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling; and managers, all other	-2	Bachelor's degree	3	21
Physical scientists, all other	-3	Bachelor's degree	3	70
Pharmacists	-3	Doctoral or professional degree	2	67
Note: Occupational profiles may comprise multiple SOC occupations, which may have differing education categories. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (projected growth, entry-level education) and U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (degree holders, advanced degrees).

Suggested citation:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Field of degree: Biology,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/field-of-degree/biology/biology-field-of-degree.htm (visited February 22, 2021).

Last Modified Date: Monday, November 30, 2020