Microbiology: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Microbiology is a rigorous scientific discipline dedicated to the exploration of microscopic life forms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other unicellular organisms, as well as their genetic components and complex interactions within ecosystems and with human health. This program equips students with a deep understanding of microbial systems through interdisciplinary study, preparing them for advanced research, healthcare, environmental stewardship, and biotechnology innovation.
- Microbial genetics: Investigates how genetic material is organized, replicated, and expressed in microorganisms, with applications in evolution, disease, and genetic engineering.
- Cell biology: Explores the structure, function, and life processes of microbial cells at the molecular and organelle levels.
- Cell physiology: Examines metabolic pathways, energy production, and regulatory mechanisms that govern microbial growth and survival.
- Virology: Focuses on the structure, replication, and host interactions of viruses, including their role in disease and potential use in therapy.
- Pathogenic microbiology: Studies disease-causing microorganisms, their mechanisms of infection, and strategies for prevention and treatment.
- Environmental microbiology: Analyzes microbial roles in biogeochemical cycles, pollution remediation, and ecosystem stability.
- Immunology: Explores how the immune system recognizes and responds to microbial threats, forming the basis for vaccines and immune therapies.
- Biostatistics: Applies statistical methods to design experiments, analyze biological data, and draw meaningful conclusions from microbiological research.
- Bioinformatics: Utilizes computational tools to manage, analyze, and interpret large-scale genomic and proteomic datasets from microbial sources.
- Laboratory methods including microscopy: Develops hands-on expertise in culturing, isolating, identifying, and visualizing microorganisms using advanced laboratory techniques and imaging systems.
Microbiology Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Microbiology Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Microbiology degrees, including Natural Sciences Managers, Microbiologists and Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary. 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 264,270 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 |
| Microbiologists 19-1022 | $87,330 | $51,220 - $150,650 | 19,760 | $41.98 |
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1042 | $83,460 | $50,760 - $169,560 | 53,250 | N/A |
| Biological Technicians 19-4021 | $52,000 | $38,060 - $81,990 | 76,190 | $25.00 |
| Food Science Technicians 19-4013 | $49,430 | $37,760 - $75,100 | 14,200 | $23.76 |
Microbiology Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $59,697 in Vermont to $110,426 in California—a 85% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Massachusetts, and District of Columbia. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 264,270 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 Microbiology by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Microbiology 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 Microbiology is found at Brigham Young University (BYU) (110 graduates), University of Washington (UW), Seattle Campus (103 graduates), University of California (UCD), Davis (95 graduates), University of Wisconsin-Madison (95 graduates), and University of Puerto Rico (UPRM), Mayaguez (93 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 2,639 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigham Young University (BYU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
110 | Provo, Utah | Private | byu.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
103 | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| University of California (UCD) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
95 | Davis, California | Public | ucdavis.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
95 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| University of Puerto Rico (UPRM) |
Bachelor's
|
93 | Mayaguez, Puerto Rico | Public | uprm.edu |
| University of California (UCB) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
92 | Berkeley, California | Public | berkeley.edu |
| University of Puerto Rico (UPRA) |
Bachelor's
|
73 | Arecibo, Puerto Rico | Public | upra.edu |
| Oklahoma State University (OSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
70 | Stillwater, Oklahoma | Public | okstate.edu |
| Ohio State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
68 | Columbus, Ohio | Public | osu.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
67 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Public | umass.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
62 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Michigan State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
61 | East Lansing, Michigan | Public | msu.edu |
| Clemson University |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
60 | Clemson, South Carolina | Public | clemson.edu |
| University of California (UCSD) |
Bachelor's
|
57 | La Jolla, California | Public | ucsd.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
50 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| Colorado State University (CSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
49 | Fort Collins, Colorado | Public | colostate.edu |
| Texas Tech University (TTU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
48 | Lubbock, Texas | Public | ttu.edu |
| North Carolina State University (NC State) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Other Award
|
47 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Public | ncsu.edu |
| University of Kansas (KU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
46 | Lawrence, Kansas | Public | ku.edu |
| University of Oklahoma (OU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
46 | Norman, Oklahoma | Public | ou.edu |
| University of California (UCR) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
45 | Riverside, California | Public | ucr.edu |
| Weber State University (WSU) |
Bachelor's
|
43 | Ogden, Utah | Public | weber.edu |
| Oregon State University (OSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
42 | Corvallis, Oregon | Public | oregonstate.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
42 | College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| University of Puerto Rico (UPRH) |
Bachelor's
|
41 | Humacao, Puerto Rico | Public | upr.edu |
| Iowa State University (ISU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
36 | Ames, Iowa | Public | iastate.edu |
| Texas State University (TXST) |
Bachelor's
|
36 | San Marcos, Texas | Public | txst.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Bachelor's
|
34 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| University of California (UCSB) |
Bachelor's
|
31 | Santa Barbara, California | Public | ucsb.edu |
| San Diego State University (SDSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
31 | San Diego, California | Public | sdsu.edu |
| University of Iowa |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
31 | Iowa City, Iowa | Public | uiowa.edu |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (LSU) |
Bachelor's
|
31 | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Public | lsu.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
29 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| California State University (CSULB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
29 | Long Beach, California | Public | csulb.edu |
| University of Pittsburgh |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Public | pitt.edu |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Blacksburg, Virginia | Public | vt.edu |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico (UIPR) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
26 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Private | metro.inter.edu |
| University of Nebraska (UNL) |
Bachelor's
|
24 | Lincoln, Nebraska | Public | unl.edu |
| University of Wisconsin (UWL) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
24 | La Crosse, Wisconsin | Public | uwlax.edu |
| Miami University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
23 | Oxford, Ohio | Public | miamioh.edu |
| The University of Texas (UTEP) |
Bachelor's
|
23 | El Paso, Texas | Public | utep.edu |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
22 | Champaign, Illinois | Public | illinois.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
|
22 | Arlington, Texas | Public | uta.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
21 | Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) |
Bachelor's
|
20 | San Luis Obispo, California | Public | calpoly.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
20 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | Public | newbrunswick.rutgers.edu |
| Kansas State University (K‑State) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
19 | Manhattan, Kansas | Public | k-state.edu |
| Washington State University (WSU) |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Pullman, Washington | Public | wsu.edu |
| Northern Arizona University (NAU) |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Flagstaff, Arizona | Public | nau.edu |
| Washington University in St Louis (WashU) |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | wustl.edu |
| North Dakota State University (NDSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
18 | Fargo, North Dakota | Public | ndsu.edu |
| University of Missouri (Mizzou) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Columbia, Missouri | Public | missouri.edu |
| East Tennessee State University (ETSU) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Johnson City, Tennessee | Public | etsu.edu |
| The University of Alabama (UA) |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Public | ua.edu |
| California State University |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Chico, California | Public | csuchico.edu |
| University of Wyoming (UW) |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Laramie, Wyoming | Public | uwyo.edu |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico (UIPR) |
Bachelor's
|
15 | San German, Puerto Rico | Private | sg.inter.edu |
| South Dakota State University (SDSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
14 | Brookings, South Dakota | Public | sdstate.edu |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico (UIPR) |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Aguadilla, Puerto Rico | Private | aguadilla.inter.edu |
| University of Alabama (UAB) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
13 | Birmingham, Alabama | Public | uab.edu |
| University of Maine (UMaine) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
13 | Orono, Maine | Public | umaine.edu |
| University of Vermont (UVM) |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Burlington, Vermont | Public | uvm.edu |
| Vanderbilt University (VU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
12 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | vanderbilt.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMB) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
11 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | umaryland.edu |
| Columbia University in the City of New York |
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
11 | New York, New York | Private | columbia.edu |
| University of Hawaii (UHM) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Honolulu, Hawaii | Public | manoa.hawaii.edu |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico (UIPR) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Mercedita, Puerto Rico | Private | ponce.inter.edu |
| University of Idaho (U of I) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Moscow, Idaho | Public | uidaho.edu |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico (UIPR) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Bayamon, Puerto Rico | Private | bayamon.inter.edu |
| California State University |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Los Angeles, California | Public | calstatela.edu |
| Idaho State University (ISU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
8 | Pocatello, Idaho | Public | isu.edu |
| New York University (NYU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | New York, New York | Private | nyu.edu |
| University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | Dallas, Texas | Public | utsouthwestern.edu |
| Wagner College |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
7 | Staten Island, New York | Private | wagner.edu |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus |
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Denver, Colorado | Public | ucdenver.edu |
| Southern Illinois University |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Carbondale, Illinois | Public | siu.edu |
| Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSULA) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Natchitoches, Louisiana | Public | nsula.edu |
| Cornell University |
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Ithaca, New York | Private | cornell.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Public | uwm.edu |
| Universidad Ana G. Mendez (UAGM Carolina) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Carolina, Puerto Rico | Private | uagm.edu |
| Bowling Green State University (BGSU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Bowling Green, Ohio | Public | bgsu.edu |
| Drexel University |
Postbac Cert.
|
5 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | drexel.edu |
| The University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHealth) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | Houston, Texas | Public | uth.edu |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico (UIPR) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Fajardo, Puerto Rico | Private | fajardo.inter.edu |
| George Washington University (GW) |
Master's
|
4 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | gwu.edu |
| University of Chicago (UChicago) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | uchicago.edu |
| Grand Valley State University (GVSU) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Allendale, Michigan | Public | gvsu.edu |
| Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Portland, Oregon | Public | ohsu.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| Alabama State University (ASU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Montgomery, Alabama | Public | alasu.edu |
| Montana State University Billings (MSU Billings) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Billings, Montana | Public | msubillings.edu |
| The University of Montana (UM) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Missoula, Montana | Public | umt.edu |
| Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Delaware, Ohio | Private | owu.edu |
| University of Puerto Rico (UPR‑MSC) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Public | rcm.upr.edu |
| Cerritos College |
Associate's
|
2 | Norwalk, California | Public | cerritos.edu |
| University of Delaware (UD) |
Master's
|
2 | Newark, Delaware | Public | udel.edu |
| Howard University (HU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | howard.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Master's
|
2 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| Seton Hall University (SHU) |
Master's
|
2 | South Orange, New Jersey | Private | shu.edu |
| Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Weatherford, Oklahoma | Public | swosu.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Microbiology programs
How much can I earn with a Microbiology degree?
Salaries for Microbiology graduates vary by role and location. Natural Sciences Managers earn a median of $161,180 annually, while Microbiologists earn around $87,330. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $110,426 compared to $59,697 in Vermont. Approximately 264,270 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 Microbiology programs?
Currently 107 accredited institutions offer Microbiology degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Brigham Young University (BYU) (110 graduates), University of Washington (UW), Seattle Campus (103 graduates), and University of California (UCD), Davis (95 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 Microbiology growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 2,146 in 2010 to a peak of 2,914 in 2020, before declining slightly to 2,646 in 2023-24. This represents a 23% 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 Microbiology degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Natural Sciences Managers, Microbiologists, and Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary. Related occupations employ approximately 264,270 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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