Medical Science: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Designed for health professionals seeking advanced research expertise, this program equips clinicians with the methodological and analytical skills needed to lead and contribute to clinical and translational research initiatives. It emphasizes the integration of scientific discovery with patient-centered outcomes, fostering innovation in medical practice and public health.
- Biostatistics and Data Analytics: Mastery of statistical methods and data interpretation techniques essential for designing, analyzing, and evaluating clinical studies.
- Clinical Research Methodology: In-depth training in study design, protocol development, and ethical considerations in human subject research.
- Translational Science: Exploration of strategies to bridge laboratory findings with real-world clinical applications and improved patient care.
- Regulatory and Ethical Frameworks: Understanding of federal guidelines, institutional review board (IRB) processes, and ethical standards governing clinical research.
- Health Services Research: Investigation into healthcare delivery systems, treatment effectiveness, and policy implications of medical interventions.
- Genomics and Precision Medicine: Study of genetic and molecular factors influencing disease and individualized treatment approaches.
Medical Science Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Medical Science Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Medical Science degrees, including Natural Sciences Managers, Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists and Epidemiologists. 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 268,630 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 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 19-1042 | $100,590 | $61,860 - $168,210 | 156,300 | $48.36 |
| Epidemiologists 19-1041 | $83,980 | $56,950 - $134,860 | 11,460 | $40.38 |
Medical Science Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $59,810 in Louisiana to $150,983 in Massachusetts—a 152% difference. The highest-paying states include Massachusetts, New Jersey, and California. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 268,630 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 Medical Science by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 65 institutions offering Medical Science 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 Medical Science is found at Butler University (132 graduates), Brown University (51 graduates), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Campus (41 graduates), Jacksonville University (JU) (36 graduates), and Harvard University (35 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 1,047 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler University |
Doctorate (Professional)
|
132 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Private | butler.edu |
| Brown University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
51 | Providence, Rhode Island | Private | brown.edu |
| University of Pittsburgh |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
41 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Public | pitt.edu |
| Jacksonville University (JU) |
Master's
|
36 | Jacksonville, Florida | Private | ju.edu |
| Harvard University |
Master's
|
35 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| Yale University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
34 | New Haven, Connecticut | Private | yale.edu |
| University of Vermont (UVM) |
Master's
|
33 | Burlington, Vermont | Public | uvm.edu |
| Northwestern University |
Master's
|
32 | Evanston, Illinois | Private | northwestern.edu |
| Icahn School of Medicine (ISMMS) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
32 | New York, New York | Private | icahn.mssm.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
32 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
32 | Portland, Oregon | Public | ohsu.edu |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
32 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | upenn.edu |
| University of California (UCSF) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
31 | San Francisco, California | Public | ucsf.edu |
| Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) |
Master's
|
30 | Atlanta, Georgia | Private | msm.edu |
| Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
26 | Rochester, Minnesota | Private | college.mayo.edu |
| Tufts University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
25 | Medford, Massachusetts | Private | tufts.edu |
| Indiana University (IU Indianapolis) |
Master's
|
22 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Public | indianapolis.iu.edu |
| University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center |
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
20 | Dallas, Texas | Public | utsouthwestern.edu |
| University of California (UCSD) |
Master's
|
19 | La Jolla, California | Public | ucsd.edu |
| Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) |
Master's
|
19 | Charleston, South Carolina | Public | web.musc.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| Saint Cloud State University (SCSU) |
Master's
|
18 | Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Public | stcloudstate.edu |
| Washington University in St Louis (WashU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
17 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | wustl.edu |
| New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
16 | Old Westbury, New York | Private | nyit.edu |
| Vanderbilt University (VU) |
Master's
|
16 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | vanderbilt.edu |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
15 | Denver, Colorado | Public | ucdenver.edu |
| Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) |
Master's
|
15 | Cleveland, Ohio | Private | case.edu |
| University of Miami (UM) |
Master's
|
14 | Coral Gables, Florida | Private | miami.edu |
| Rush University |
Master's
|
14 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | rushu.rush.edu |
| Emory University |
Master's
|
13 | Atlanta, Georgia | Private | emory.edu |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (LSU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
13 | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Public | lsu.edu |
| University of California (UCI) |
Master's
|
10 | Irvine, California | Public | uci.edu |
| George Washington University (GW) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | gwu.edu |
| Clemson University |
Post-Master's
|
10 | Clemson, South Carolina | Public | clemson.edu |
| University of California (UCLA) |
Master's
|
9 | Los Angeles, California | Public | ucla.edu |
| Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC-S) |
Master's
|
9 | Shreveport, Louisiana | Public | lsuhs.edu |
| Bethel University |
Master's
|
8 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Private | bethel.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Master's
|
8 | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Public | unc.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Master's
|
7 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| University of Toledo (UToledo) |
Master's
|
7 | Toledo, Ohio | Public | utoledo.edu |
| Wright State University |
Postbac Cert.
|
7 | Dayton, Ohio | Public | wright.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Postbac Cert.
|
6 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | psu.edu |
| West Virginia University (WVU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Morgantown, West Virginia | Public | wvu.edu |
| University of Connecticut (UConn) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
5 | Storrs, Connecticut | Public | uconn.edu |
| University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) |
Master's
|
5 | University, Mississippi | Public | olemiss.edu |
| University of Missouri (UMKC) |
Postbac Cert.
|
5 | Kansas City, Missouri | Public | umkc.edu |
| Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) |
Master's
|
5 | Houston, Texas | Private | bcm.edu |
| The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | Galveston, Texas | Public | utmb.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| Georgetown University (GU) |
Master's
|
4 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | georgetown.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
4 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | Public | newbrunswick.rutgers.edu |
| Columbia University in the City of New York |
Post-Master's
|
4 | New York, New York | Private | columbia.edu |
| University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) |
Master's
|
3 | Little Rock, Arkansas | Public | uams.edu |
| University of Iowa |
Master's
|
3 | Iowa City, Iowa | Public | uiowa.edu |
| Lasell University |
Master's
|
2 | Newton, Massachusetts | Private | lasell.edu |
| University of North Dakota (UND) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Grand Forks, North Dakota | Public | und.edu |
| Ohio University (OHIO) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Athens, Ohio | Public | ohio.edu |
| George Fox University |
Doctorate (Professional)
|
2 | Newberg, Oregon | Private | georgefox.edu |
| University of South Dakota (USD) |
Doctorate (Research)
Doctorate (Professional)
|
2 | Vermillion, South Dakota | Public | usd.edu |
| University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) |
Master's
|
1 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | uic.edu |
| Tulane University of Louisiana |
Master's
|
1 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Private | tulane.edu |
| University of Missouri (Mizzou) |
Master's
|
1 | Columbia, Missouri | Public | missouri.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
1 | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| Augusta University (AU) |
Master's
|
1 | Augusta, Georgia | Public | augusta.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Medical Science programs
How much can I earn with a Medical Science degree?
Salaries for Medical Science graduates vary by role and location. Natural Sciences Managers earn a median of $161,180 annually, while Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists earn around $100,590. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Massachusetts average $150,983 compared to $59,810 in Louisiana. Approximately 268,630 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 Medical Science programs?
Currently 65 accredited institutions offer Medical Science degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Butler University (132 graduates), Brown University (51 graduates), and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Campus (41 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 Medical Science growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 442 in 2010 to 1,047 in 2023-24. This represents a 137% 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 Medical Science degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Natural Sciences Managers, Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists, and Epidemiologists. Related occupations employ approximately 268,630 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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