UnisHub University Compass

Biological and Biomedical Sciences: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Program Overview

Biological and Biomedical Sciences encompasses a broad spectrum of advanced academic inquiry focused on living systems, molecular mechanisms, and the application of biological principles to human health and disease. This multidisciplinary field integrates foundational science with cutting-edge research to explore the complexities of life at cellular, genetic, and organismal levels.

  • Genetics and Genomics: Investigation into the structure, function, and inheritance of genes, including the analysis of DNA sequences and their role in development, disease, and evolution.
  • Cell Biology: Study of cellular structure, function, and processes such as division, signaling, and metabolism, forming the basis for understanding both normal physiology and pathological conditions.
  • Microbiology: Exploration of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa, with emphasis on their roles in health, disease, and environmental systems.
  • Physiology: Examination of the mechanical, biochemical, and physical functions of living organisms and their parts, particularly in relation to homeostasis and organ system interactions.
  • Neuroscience: Scientific analysis of the nervous system, covering neural development, brain function, sensory processing, and the biological underpinnings of behavior and cognition.
  • Immunology: In-depth study of the immune system’s mechanisms, including defense responses, immune memory, and the pathogenesis of autoimmune and infectious diseases.
  • Biochemistry: Application of chemical principles to biological processes, focusing on the molecular interactions of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids.
  • Biomedical Research Methods: Training in experimental design, data analysis, laboratory techniques, and ethical considerations essential for advancing scientific discovery in health-related fields.

Biological and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Trends (2010-2024)

4,612
Total Graduates (2023-2024)
135
Universities & Colleges
4
Career Pathways

Biological and Biomedical Sciences Career Pathways & Salary Outlook

The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Biological and Biomedical Sciences degrees, including Natural Sciences Managers, Biological Scientists, All Other and Life 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 221,150 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
Biological Scientists, All Other 19-1029 $93,330 $54,500 - $159,780 59,710 $44.87
Life Scientists, All Other 19-1099 $87,800 $52,360 - $168,860 7,320 $42.21
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1042 $83,460 $50,760 - $169,560 53,250 N/A

Salary Comparison

Biological and Biomedical Sciences Salary Map by State

Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $74,810 in Louisiana to $142,633 in California—a 91% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 221,150 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 Biological and Biomedical Sciences by Graduate Enrollment

Below are the top 100 institutions offering Biological and Biomedical Sciences 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 Biological and Biomedical Sciences is found at University of Florida (UF) (384 graduates), Pennsylvania State University, Main Campus (351 graduates), Ventura College (221 graduates), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) (178 graduates), and Solano Community College (169 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 4,540 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 Admissions Location Control Website
University of Florida (UF)
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (R)
384 SAT: 1300-1480
ACT: 28-33
Gainesville, Florida Public ufl.edu
Pennsylvania State University
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
351 SAT: 1220-1400
ACT: 27-32
University Park, Pennsylvania Public psu.edu
Ventura College
Associate's
221 N/A Ventura, California Public venturacollege.edu
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
Bachelor's
178 SAT: 1270-1510
ACT: 29-34
Champaign, Illinois Public illinois.edu
Solano Community College
Associate's
Other Award
169 N/A Fairfield, California Public welcome.solano.edu
Boston University (BU)
Master's
169 SAT: 1400-1520
ACT: 32-34
Boston, Massachusetts Private bu.edu
University of South Florida (USF)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
167 SAT: 1140-1330
ACT: 24-29
Tampa, Florida Public usf.edu
University of Western States (UWS)
Bachelor's
149 N/A Portland, Oregon Private uws.edu
Barry University
Master's
144 N/A Miami, Florida Private barry.edu
Chabot College (CC)
Associate's
Other Award
139 N/A Hayward, California Public chabotcollege.edu
Indiana University (IUB)
Bachelor's
132 SAT: 1170-1400
ACT: 27-32
Bloomington, Indiana Public indiana.edu
City College of San Francisco (CCSF)
Other Award
114 N/A San Francisco, California Public ccsf.edu
Liberty University
Master's
114 N/A Lynchburg, Virginia Private liberty.edu
University of New Haven (UNH)
Master's
104 SAT: 1090-1260 West Haven, Connecticut Private newhaven.edu
University of Cincinnati (UC)
Bachelor's
Doctorate (R)
87 SAT: 1150-1360
ACT: 24-29
Cincinnati, Ohio Public uc.edu
University of Puerto Rico (UPRAg)
Bachelor's
86 SAT: 806-1057 Aguadilla, Puerto Rico Public uprag.edu
Drexel University
Master's
84 SAT: 1230-1430
ACT: 27-33
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Private drexel.edu
Cornell University
Bachelor's
83 SAT: 1480-1560
ACT: 33-35
Ithaca, New York Private cornell.edu
Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)
Master's
81 SAT: 1000-1230
ACT: 19-26
Murfreesboro, Tennessee Public mtsu.edu
Kiamichi Technology Center (KTC)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
81 N/A McAlester, Oklahoma Public ktc.edu
Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU)
Master's
72 N/A Ponce, Puerto Rico Private psm.edu
University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
69 N/A Omaha, Nebraska Public unmc.edu
Seminole State College
Associate's
68 N/A Seminole, Oklahoma Public sscok.edu
University of Mississippi (Ole Miss)
Master's
66 SAT: 1020-1210
ACT: 21-29
University, Mississippi Public olemiss.edu
University of Puerto Rico (UPRB)
Bachelor's
52 N/A Bayamon, Puerto Rico Public uprb.edu
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFU)
Master's
48 N/A North Chicago, Illinois Private rosalindfranklin.edu
Contra Costa College (CCC)
Other Award
47 N/A San Pablo, California Public contracosta.edu
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC)
Associate's
46 N/A Perkinston, Mississippi Public mgccc.edu
Kansas State University (K‑State)
Master's
45 SAT: 1040-1260
ACT: 20-27
Manhattan, Kansas Public k-state.edu
A T Still University of Health Sciences (ATSU)
Master's
43 N/A Kirksville, Missouri Private atsu.edu
California State University (CSUB)
Bachelor's
42 N/A Bakersfield, California Public csub.edu
Pennsylvania State University
Bachelor's
38 SAT: 1100-1340
ACT: 18-30
University Park, Pennsylvania Public worldcampus.psu.edu
Ponce Health Sciences University
Master's
37 N/A Santurce, Puerto Rico Private psm.edu
Arizona State University
Master's
36 N/A Scottsdale, Arizona Public asu.edu
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
35 SAT: 1240-1420
ACT: 27-32
Blacksburg, Virginia Public vt.edu
New York University (NYU)
Master's
32 SAT: 1480-1570
ACT: 33-35
New York, New York Private nyu.edu
Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE)
Master's
27 N/A Fort Smith, Arkansas Private achehealth.edu
Ponce Health Sciences University
Master's
27 N/A St. Louis, Missouri Private stlouis.psm.edu
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC)
Bachelor's
23 N/A Adelphi, Maryland Public umgc.edu
Wayne State University (WSU)
Master's
23 SAT: 1040-1260
ACT: 21-28
Detroit, Michigan Public wayne.edu
University of Minnesota (UMN)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
23 SAT: 1310-1480
ACT: 27-31
Minneapolis, Minnesota Public twin-cities.umn.edu
University of New Hampshire (UNH)
Bachelor's
Doctorate (R)
23 SAT: 1120-1320
ACT: 26-31
Durham, New Hampshire Public unh.edu
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS)
Bachelor's
Master's
21 SAT: 1120-1380
ACT: 28-33
Albany, New York Private acphs.edu
East Carolina University (ECU)
Doctorate (R)
21 SAT: 1050-1200
ACT: 20-26
Greenville, North Carolina Public ecu.edu
Rush University
Master's
Doctorate (R)
20 N/A Chicago, Illinois Private rushu.rush.edu
Yeshiva University (YU)
Master's
19 SAT: 1320-1500
ACT: 28-33
New York, New York Private yu.edu
Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU)
Bachelor's
18 SAT: 940-1160
ACT: 19-25
University Center, Michigan Public svsu.edu
Siena College
Bachelor's
16 SAT: 1093-1360
ACT: 26-29
Loudonville, New York Private siena.edu
Pennsylvania State University
Bachelor's
16 SAT: 1140-1315
ACT: 20-28
Center Valley, Pennsylvania Public lehighvalley.psu.edu
Thomas Jefferson University
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
16 SAT: 1150-1350
ACT: 27-32
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Private jefferson.edu
The University of Tennessee
Master's
Doctorate (R)
15 SAT: 1190-1340
ACT: 25-31
Knoxville, Tennessee Public utk.edu
Indiana University (IUE)
Bachelor's
14 SAT: 1010-1220
ACT: 20-25
Richmond, Indiana Public iue.edu
Northeastern University (NU)
Bachelor's
14 SAT: 1460-1550
ACT: 33-35
Boston, Massachusetts Private northeastern.edu
Lincoln Memorial University (LMU)
Master's
14 SAT: 1006-1220
ACT: 19-24
Harrogate, Tennessee Private lmunet.edu
Shenandoah University (SU)
Postbac Cert.
Master's
14 N/A Winchester, Virginia Private su.edu
Saint Xavier University (SXU)
Postbac Cert.
Master's
13 N/A Chicago, Illinois Private sxu.edu
Pennsylvania State University
Bachelor's
13 SAT: 1110-1320
ACT: 26-30
Middletown, Pennsylvania Public harrisburg.psu.edu
Pennsylvania State University
Bachelor's
13 SAT: 1020-1215 McKeesport, Pennsylvania Public greaterallegheny.psu.edu
Vanderbilt University (VU)
Doctorate (P)
13 SAT: 1510-1560
ACT: 34-35
Nashville, Tennessee Private vanderbilt.edu
Vincennes University (VU)
Associate's
12 N/A Vincennes, Indiana Public vinu.edu
Albany Medical College (AMC)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
12 N/A Albany, New York Private amc.edu
Stony Brook University (SBU)
Master's
12 SAT: 1320-1490
ACT: 28-33
Stony Brook, New York Public stonybrook.edu
Union College
Bachelor's
12 SAT: 1310-1480
ACT: 30-33
Schenectady, New York Private union.edu
Cumberland University (CU)
Associate's
12 N/A Lebanon, Tennessee Private cumberland.edu
Baylor College of Medicine (BCM)
Doctorate (R)
12 N/A Houston, Texas Private bcm.edu
Delaware State University (DSU)
Bachelor's
10 SAT: 860-1070
ACT: 22-26
Dover, Delaware Public desu.edu
Harvard University
Master's
Doctorate (R)
10 SAT: 1500-1580
ACT: 34-36
Cambridge, Massachusetts Private harvard.edu
Springfield College
Bachelor's
10 SAT: 1070-1260 Springfield, Massachusetts Private springfield.edu
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)
Postbac Cert.
9 N/A Little Rock, Arkansas Public uams.edu
University of Southern California (USC)
Doctorate (R)
9 SAT: 1440-1550
ACT: 32-35
Los Angeles, California Private usc.edu
University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
Doctorate (R)
9 SAT: 1120-1340
ACT: 25-32
Chicago, Illinois Public uic.edu
Indiana University (IU Indianapolis)
Master's
9 SAT: 1040-1230
ACT: 21-28
Indianapolis, Indiana Public indianapolis.iu.edu
University of Minnesota (UMD)
Master's
9 SAT: 1128-1335
ACT: 23-28
Duluth, Minnesota Public d.umn.edu
University of Vermont (UVM)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
9 SAT: 1250-1420
ACT: 29-32
Burlington, Vermont Public uvm.edu
Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
9 N/A Norfolk, Virginia Public evms.edu
Fresno Pacific University (FPU)
Bachelor's
8 N/A Fresno, California Private fresno.edu
University of Miami (UM)
Master's
8 SAT: 1330-1470
ACT: 30-33
Coral Gables, Florida Private miami.edu
Massachusetts Bay Community College (MassBay)
Associate's
8 N/A Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts Public massbay.edu
North Carolina Central University (NCCU)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
8 SAT: 980-1100
ACT: 17-18
Durham, North Carolina Public nccu.edu
Stanford University
Doctorate (R)
8 SAT: 1510-1580
ACT: 34-35
Stanford, California Private stanford.edu
Wilmington College
Bachelor's
7 SAT: 860-1050
ACT: 17-23
Wilmington, Ohio Private wilmington.edu
Meharry Medical College
Doctorate (R)
7 N/A Nashville, Tennessee Private mmc.edu
Utah Valley University (UVU)
Bachelor's
7 N/A Orem, Utah Public uvu.edu
University of California (UCSD)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
6 N/A La Jolla, California Public ucsd.edu
Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM)
Master's
6 N/A Atlanta, Georgia Private msm.edu
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU)
Master's
6 SAT: 1430-1540
ACT: 32-35
Cleveland, Ohio Private case.edu
Ohio State University
Master's
6 SAT: 1330-1480
ACT: 29-32
Columbus, Ohio Public osu.edu
Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS)
Master's
6 N/A Tulsa, Oklahoma Public medicine.okstate.edu
Pennsylvania State University
Bachelor's
6 SAT: 1030-1270
ACT: 25-27
New Kensington, Pennsylvania Public newkensington.psu.edu
Grinnell College
Bachelor's
5 SAT: 1418-1550
ACT: 31-34
Grinnell, Iowa Private grinnell.edu
University of Massachusetts
Bachelor's
5 SAT: 1080-1290
ACT: 24-30
Boston, Massachusetts Public umb.edu
The Rockefeller University (RU)
Master's
5 N/A New York, New York Private rockefeller.edu
Northwest State Community College (NSCC)
Associate's
5 N/A Archbold, Ohio Public northweststate.edu
Xavier University (XU)
Bachelor's
5 SAT: 1060-1298
ACT: 22-29
Cincinnati, Ohio Private xavier.edu
University of South Alabama (USA)
Doctorate (R)
4 SAT: 1015-1200
ACT: 19-26
Mobile, Alabama Public southalabama.edu
Scripps College
Bachelor's
4 SAT: 1420-1530
ACT: 32-34
Claremont, California Private scrippscollege.edu
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Doctorate (R)
4 SAT: 980-1220
ACT: 21-27
Denver, Colorado Public ucdenver.edu
The University of Montana (UM)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
4 ACT: 23-28 Missoula, Montana Public umt.edu
Rowan University
Bachelor's
4 SAT: 1100-1310
ACT: 26-30
Glassboro, New Jersey Public rowan.edu
Syracuse University
Master's
4 SAT: 1260-1430
ACT: 28-32
Syracuse, New York Private syracuse.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most common questions about Biological and Biomedical Sciences programs

How much can I earn with a Biological and Biomedical Sciences degree?

Salaries for Biological and Biomedical Sciences graduates vary by role and location. Natural Sciences Managers earn a median of $161,180 annually, while Biological Scientists, All Other earn around $93,330. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $142,633 compared to $74,810 in Louisiana. Approximately 221,150 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 Biological and Biomedical Sciences programs?

Currently 135 accredited institutions offer Biological and Biomedical Sciences degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of Florida (UF) (384 graduates), Pennsylvania State University, Main Campus (351 graduates), and Ventura College (221 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 Biological and Biomedical Sciences growing or declining?

Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 2,779 in 2010 to 4,612 in 2023-24. This represents a 66% 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 Biological and Biomedical Sciences degree?

This degree prepares you for roles such as Natural Sciences Managers, Biological Scientists, All Other, and Life Scientists, All Other. Related occupations employ approximately 221,150 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.

Related Biological Sciences Programs

Explore similar degree programs within the Biological Sciences field. These programs share the same academic discipline and may offer complementary skills and career pathways.

Found this helpful? Share it!

Found something useful? Help others discover it too! Share with friends, on social media, or save for later - every share helps someone find the information they need.