Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is an interdisciplinary field that explores the chemical processes and molecular mechanisms underlying life at the cellular and organismal levels. This rigorous academic program integrates principles from chemistry, biology, and physics to investigate how biological systems function at the molecular scale, preparing students for advanced research, healthcare, biotechnology, and scientific innovation.
- General Biology: Foundational study of living organisms, covering cellular structure, metabolism, and biological diversity.
- General and Organic Chemistry: Core chemical principles governing molecular interactions, reaction mechanisms, and the structure of carbon-based compounds essential to life.
- Physics: Application of physical laws to biological systems, including energy transfer, thermodynamics, and molecular motion.
- Biochemistry: In-depth analysis of the chemical processes within and relating to living organisms, focusing on proteins, nucleic acids, enzymes, and metabolic pathways.
- Molecular Biology: Examination of molecular interactions within cells, particularly DNA replication, gene expression, and genetic regulation.
- Immunology: Study of the immune system’s structure, function, and response to pathogens and foreign substances.
- Microbiology: Investigation of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and their roles in health, disease, and environmental systems.
- Genetics: Exploration of heredity, gene function, genetic variation, and the molecular basis of inheritance.
- Cellular Biology: Comprehensive analysis of cell structure, function, signaling, and the dynamic processes that sustain cellular life.
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Biochemistry and Molecular Biology degrees, including Natural Sciences Managers, Biochemists and Biophysicists and Biological Scientists, All Other. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 248,350 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Sciences Managers 11-9121 | $161,180 | $79,830 - $239,200 | 100,870 | $77.49 |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists 19-1021 | $103,650 | $64,890 - $168,900 | 34,520 | $49.83 |
| Biological Scientists, All Other 19-1029 | $93,330 | $54,500 - $159,780 | 59,710 | $44.87 |
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1042 | $83,460 | $50,760 - $169,560 | 53,250 | N/A |
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $75,280 in Louisiana to $143,005 in California—a 90% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 248,350 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 96 institutions offering Biochemistry and Molecular Biology programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is found at University of Massachusetts, Amherst (141 graduates), Michigan State University (MSU) (90 graduates), Oregon State University (OSU) (81 graduates), Yale University (78 graduates), and University of California (UCI), Irvine (56 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 1,482 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
|
141 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Public | umass.edu |
| Michigan State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
90 | East Lansing, Michigan | Public | msu.edu |
| Oregon State University (OSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
81 | Corvallis, Oregon | Public | oregonstate.edu |
| Yale University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
78 | New Haven, Connecticut | Private | yale.edu |
| University of California (UCI) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
56 | Irvine, California | Public | uci.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
56 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMBC) |
Bachelor's
|
54 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | umbc.edu |
| Boston University (BU) |
Bachelor's
|
54 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | bu.edu |
| University of South Carolina (USC) |
Bachelor's
|
48 | Columbia, South Carolina | Public | sc.edu |
| Wake Forest University (WFC) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
40 | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | Private | wfu.edu |
| The College of Wooster |
Bachelor's
|
36 | Wooster, Ohio | Private | wooster.edu |
| Cornell College |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Mount Vernon, Iowa | Private | cornellcollege.edu |
| New York University (NYU) |
Bachelor's
|
27 | New York, New York | Private | nyu.edu |
| Dickinson College |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Carlisle, Pennsylvania | Private | dickinson.edu |
| Middlebury College |
Bachelor's
|
25 | Middlebury, Vermont | Private | middlebury.edu |
| Nova Southeastern University (NSU) |
Master's
|
24 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | Private | nova.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
24 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| University of New Hampshire (UNH) |
Bachelor's
|
24 | Durham, New Hampshire | Public | unh.edu |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
23 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | upenn.edu |
| Clark University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
21 | Worcester, Massachusetts | Private | clarku.edu |
| Drexel University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
19 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | drexel.edu |
| Hendrix College |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Conway, Arkansas | Private | hendrix.edu |
| Grand Canyon University (GCU) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Phoenix, Arizona | Private | gcu.edu |
| Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
16 | Rochester, Minnesota | Private | college.mayo.edu |
| University of California (UCR) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
15 | Riverside, California | Public | ucr.edu |
| Purdue University (PU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
15 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdue.edu |
| Lake Forest College |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Lake Forest, Illinois | Private | lakeforest.edu |
| Centre College |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Danville, Kentucky | Private | centre.edu |
| Michigan Technological University (MTU) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
13 | Houghton, Michigan | Public | mtu.edu |
| Washington State University (WSU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
13 | Pullman, Washington | Public | wsu.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Master's
|
12 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| Truman State University |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Kirksville, Missouri | Public | truman.edu |
| Bryn Mawr College |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania | Private | brynmawr.edu |
| Houston Christian University (HCU) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Houston, Texas | Private | hc.edu |
| Marquette University |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Private | marquette.edu |
| Linfield University |
Bachelor's
|
11 | McMinnville, Oregon | Private | linfield.edu |
| University of North Texas (UNT) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
11 | Denton, Texas | Public | unt.edu |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) |
Master's
|
11 | Edinburg, Texas | Public | utrgv.edu |
| Saint Cloud State University (SCSU) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Public | stcloudstate.edu |
| Bethel University |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Private | bethel.edu |
| North Dakota State University (NDSU) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Fargo, North Dakota | Public | ndsu.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
9 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| Wittenberg University |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Springfield, Ohio | Private | wittenberg.edu |
| Muhlenberg College |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Allentown, Pennsylvania | Private | muhlenberg.edu |
| Anderson University (AU) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Anderson, South Carolina | Private | andersonuniversity.edu |
| Bellevue College (BC) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Bellevue, Washington | Public | bellevuecollege.edu |
| Boise State University (BBU) |
Master's
|
8 | Boise, Idaho | Public | boisestate.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| Simmons University |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | simmons.edu |
| Hope College |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Holland, Michigan | Private | hope.edu |
| Belmont University |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | belmont.edu |
| California Institute of Technology (Caltech) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | Pasadena, California | Private | caltech.edu |
| Florida Southern College (FSC) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Lakeland, Florida | Private | flsouthern.edu |
| Wright State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
7 | Dayton, Ohio | Public | wright.edu |
| Elizabethtown College |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania | Private | etown.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Menomonie, Wisconsin | Public | uwstout.edu |
| Bellarmine University |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Louisville, Kentucky | Private | bellarmine.edu |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Moorhead, Minnesota | Public | mnstate.edu |
| Lebanon Valley College (LVC) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Annville, Pennsylvania | Private | lvc.edu |
| Vanderbilt University (VU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | vanderbilt.edu |
| The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Galveston, Texas | Public | utmb.edu |
| Idaho State University (ISU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Pocatello, Idaho | Public | isu.edu |
| Loyola University Chicago (LUC) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | luc.edu |
| Wheaton College |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Wheaton, Illinois | Private | wheaton.edu |
| Bethel University |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Mishawaka, Indiana | Private | betheluniversity.edu |
| University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) |
Master's
|
5 | Omaha, Nebraska | Public | unmc.edu |
| Hampden-Sydney College (H‑SC) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Hampden-Sydney, Virginia | Private | hsc.edu |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus |
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Denver, Colorado | Public | ucdenver.edu |
| University of Florida (UF) |
Master's
|
4 | Gainesville, Florida | Public | ufl.edu |
| Rollins College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Winter Park, Florida | Private | rollins.edu |
| Washington College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Chestertown, Maryland | Private | washcoll.edu |
| Wayne State University (WSU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Detroit, Michigan | Public | wayne.edu |
| West Virginia University (WVU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Morgantown, West Virginia | Public | wvu.edu |
| Harding University |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Searcy, Arkansas | Private | harding.edu |
| Benedictine University (BenU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Lisle, Illinois | Private | ben.edu |
| University of Kansas (KU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Lawrence, Kansas | Public | ku.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMB) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | umaryland.edu |
| Central Michigan University (CMU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Mount Pleasant, Michigan | Public | cmich.edu |
| University of Mary (UMary) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Bismarck, North Dakota | Private | umary.edu |
| Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Cleveland, Ohio | Private | case.edu |
| Lincoln University |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Lincoln University, Pennsylvania | Public | lincoln.edu |
| Utah Tech University (UT) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Saint George, Utah | Public | utahtech.edu |
| Augusta University (AU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Augusta, Georgia | Public | augusta.edu |
| University of Miami (UM) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Coral Gables, Florida | Private | miami.edu |
| Emporia State University (ESU) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Emporia, Kansas | Public | emporia.edu |
| Goucher College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Baltimore, Maryland | Private | goucher.edu |
| Oral Roberts University (ORU) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Tulsa, Oklahoma | Private | oru.edu |
| Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Portland, Oregon | Public | ohsu.edu |
| Fisk University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | fisk.edu |
| Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Abilene, Texas | Private | hsutx.edu |
| McPherson College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | McPherson, Kansas | Private | mcpherson.edu |
| Tulane University of Louisiana |
Master's
|
1 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Private | tulane.edu |
| Aquinas College (AQ) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Grand Rapids, Michigan | Private | aquinas.edu |
| Saint Louis University (SLU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
1 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | slu.edu |
| Rhode Island College (RIC) |
Postbac Cert.
|
1 | Providence, Rhode Island | Public | ric.edu |
| Universidad Central Del Caribe (UCC) |
Master's
|
1 | Bayamon, Puerto Rico | Private | uccaribe.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Biochemistry and Molecular Biology programs
How much can I earn with a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology degree?
Salaries for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology graduates vary by role and location. Natural Sciences Managers earn a median of $161,180 annually, while Biochemists and Biophysicists earn around $103,650. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $143,005 compared to $75,280 in Louisiana. Approximately 248,350 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Biochemistry and Molecular Biology programs?
Currently 96 accredited institutions offer Biochemistry and Molecular Biology degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of Massachusetts, Amherst (141 graduates), Michigan State University (MSU) (90 graduates), and Oregon State University (OSU) (81 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 861 in 2010 to 1,482 in 2023-24. This represents a 72% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Natural Sciences Managers, Biochemists and Biophysicists, and Biological Scientists, All Other. Related occupations employ approximately 248,350 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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