Biological and Physical Sciences: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Designed for students seeking a comprehensive foundation in the natural sciences, this program integrates core principles from both biological and physical disciplines to foster a deep understanding of the natural world. It prepares learners for advanced study or careers in research, healthcare, environmental science, and technology by emphasizing analytical thinking, empirical investigation, and interdisciplinary problem-solving.
- Biological Systems: Explores the structure, function, and evolution of living organisms, from cellular processes to ecosystems, with a focus on molecular biology, genetics, and organismal biology.
- Chemistry: Investigates the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter, covering areas such as organic, inorganic, physical, and analytical chemistry.
- Physics: Examines the fundamental laws governing energy, motion, forces, and the behavior of matter at all scales, including classical mechanics, electromagnetism, and modern physics.
- Mathematical Modeling: Applies quantitative methods and statistical analysis to interpret scientific data, simulate natural phenomena, and support hypothesis testing across disciplines.
- Environmental Science: Studies the interactions between living systems and their physical environment, addressing issues such as sustainability, climate change, and ecological dynamics.
- Research Methods and Laboratory Techniques: Develops hands-on skills in experimental design, data collection, instrumentation, and scientific communication through rigorous lab work and field studies.
Biological and Physical Sciences Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Biological and Physical Sciences Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Biological and Physical Sciences degrees, including Natural Sciences Managers, Postsecondary Teachers, All Other and Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education. 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 1,324,940 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 |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other 25-1199 | $78,490 | $39,720 - $172,850 | 151,530 | N/A |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 25-2031 | $64,580 | $47,330 - $104,670 | 1,072,540 | N/A |
Biological and Physical Sciences Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $61,520 in Vermont to $135,707 in California—a 121% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 1,324,940 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 Physical Sciences by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Biological and Physical 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 Physical Sciences is found at Pasadena City College (PCC) (1,021 graduates), The University of Texas, Austin (924 graduates), Los Angeles Pierce College (LAPC) (837 graduates), Mt San Jacinto Community College District (MSJC) (652 graduates), and Victor Valley College (VVC) (552 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 23,623 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pasadena City College (PCC) |
Associate's
|
1,021 | Pasadena, California | Public | pasadena.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Other Award
|
924 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| Los Angeles Pierce College (LAPC) |
Associate's
|
837 | Woodland Hills, California | Public | lapc.edu |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District (MSJC) |
Associate's
|
652 | San Jacinto, California | Public | msjc.edu |
| Victor Valley College (VVC) |
Associate's
|
552 | Victorville, California | Public | vvc.edu |
| Shasta College |
Associate's
|
510 | Redding, California | Public | shastacollege.edu |
| Florida International University (FIU) |
Bachelor's
|
490 | Miami, Florida | Public | fiu.edu |
| Allan Hancock College |
Associate's
|
457 | Santa Maria, California | Public | hancockcollege.edu |
| Sierra College |
Associate's
|
456 | Rocklin, California | Public | sierracollege.edu |
| Ventura College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
434 | Ventura, California | Public | venturacollege.edu |
| Contra Costa College (CCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
418 | San Pablo, California | Public | contracosta.edu |
| San Joaquin Delta College |
Associate's
|
414 | Stockton, California | Public | deltacollege.edu |
| Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
402 | Valley Glen, California | Public | lavc.edu |
| William Rainey Harper College |
Associate's
|
401 | Palatine, Illinois | Public | harpercollege.edu |
| Oxnard College |
Associate's
|
384 | Oxnard, California | Public | oxnardcollege.edu |
| Solano Community College |
Associate's
|
384 | Fairfield, California | Public | welcome.solano.edu |
| Golden West College (GWC) |
Associate's
|
374 | Huntington Beach, California | Public | goldenwestcollege.edu |
| Santa Monica College (SMC) |
Associate's
|
374 | Santa Monica, California | Public | smc.edu |
| Los Medanos College (LMC) |
Associate's
|
365 | Pittsburg, California | Public | losmedanos.edu |
| Riverside City College (RCC) |
Associate's
|
359 | Riverside, California | Public | rcc.edu |
| Moorpark College |
Associate's
|
349 | Moorpark, California | Public | moorparkcollege.edu |
| Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) |
Associate's
|
340 | Santa Barbara, California | Public | sbcc.edu |
| American River College (ARC) |
Associate's
|
317 | Sacramento, California | Public | arc.losrios.edu |
| Modesto Junior College (MJC) |
Associate's
|
311 | Modesto, California | Public | mjc.edu |
| Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) |
Associate's
|
306 | Santa Rosa, California | Public | santarosa.edu |
| El Camino Community College District (ECC) |
Associate's
|
303 | Torrance, California | Public | elcamino.edu |
| East Los Angeles College (ELAC) |
Associate's
|
301 | Monterey Park, California | Public | elac.edu |
| Palomar College |
Associate's
|
290 | San Marcos, California | Public | www2.palomar.edu |
| Grossmont College |
Associate's
|
288 | El Cajon, California | Public | grossmont.edu |
| Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC) |
Associate's
|
281 | Palos Hills, Illinois | Public | morainevalley.edu |
| Los Angeles Harbor College (LAHC) |
Associate's
|
270 | Wilmington, California | Public | lahc.edu |
| MiraCosta College |
Associate's
|
261 | Oceanside, California | Public | miracosta.edu |
| Waubonsee Community College |
Associate's
|
261 | Sugar Grove, Illinois | Public | waubonsee.edu |
| Imperial Valley College (IVC) |
Associate's
|
257 | Imperial, California | Public | imperial.edu |
| Saddleback College |
Associate's
|
244 | Mission Viejo, California | Public | saddleback.edu |
| Cosumnes River College (CRC) |
Associate's
|
239 | Sacramento, California | Public | crc.losrios.edu |
| Irvine Valley College (IVC) |
Associate's
|
234 | Irvine, California | Public | ivc.edu |
| College of DuPage (COD) |
Associate's
|
232 | Glen Ellyn, Illinois | Public | cod.edu |
| Los Angeles City College (LACC) |
Associate's
|
219 | Los Angeles, California | Public | lacitycollege.edu |
| Moreno Valley College (MVC) |
Associate's
|
205 | Moreno Valley, California | Public | mvc.edu |
| Norco College |
Associate's
|
194 | Norco, California | Public | norcocollege.edu |
| Yuba College |
Associate's
|
193 | Marysville, California | Public | yc.yccd.edu |
| Elgin Community College (ECC) |
Associate's
|
193 | Elgin, Illinois | Public | elgin.edu |
| De Anza College |
Associate's
|
192 | Cupertino, California | Public | deanza.edu |
| Triton College |
Associate's
|
185 | River Grove, Illinois | Public | triton.edu |
| Antelope Valley Community College District (AVCCD) |
Associate's
|
183 | Lancaster, California | Public | avc.edu |
| Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) |
Associate's
|
182 | Annandale, Virginia | Public | nvcc.edu |
| Cerritos College |
Associate's
|
176 | Norwalk, California | Public | cerritos.edu |
| Rock Valley College (RVC) |
Associate's
|
176 | Rockford, Illinois | Public | rockvalleycollege.edu |
| College of the Redwoods (CR) |
Associate's
|
172 | Eureka, California | Public | redwoods.edu |
| Sacramento City College (SCC) |
Associate's
|
170 | Sacramento, California | Public | scc.losrios.edu |
| Diablo Valley College (DVC) |
Associate's
|
168 | Pleasant Hill, California | Public | dvc.edu |
| Mission College |
Associate's
|
165 | Santa Clara, California | Public | missioncollege.edu |
| J Sargeant Reynolds Community College |
Associate's
|
161 | Richmond, Virginia | Public | reynolds.edu |
| City College of San Francisco (CCSF) |
Associate's
|
160 | San Francisco, California | Public | ccsf.edu |
| Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
160 | Claremont, California | Private | kgi.edu |
| Santiago Canyon College (SCC) |
Associate's
|
159 | Orange, California | Public | sccollege.edu |
| McHenry County College (MCC) |
Associate's
|
155 | Crystal Lake, Illinois | Public | mchenry.edu |
| Folsom Lake College (FLC) |
Associate's
|
152 | Folsom, California | Public | flc.losrios.edu |
| Rio Hondo College (RHC) |
Associate's
|
146 | Whittier, California | Public | riohondo.edu |
| City Colleges of Chicago (HWC) |
Associate's
|
143 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | ccc.edu |
| Orange Coast College (OCC) |
Associate's
|
141 | Costa Mesa, California | Public | orangecoastcollege.edu |
| Parkland College |
Associate's
|
140 | Champaign, Illinois | Public | parkland.edu |
| Southwestern College (SWC) |
Associate's
|
137 | Chula Vista, California | Public | swccd.edu |
| College of Lake County (CLC) |
Associate's
|
135 | Grayslake, Illinois | Public | clcillinois.edu |
| Kishwaukee College (Kish) |
Associate's
|
134 | Malta, Illinois | Public | kish.edu |
| City Colleges of Chicago |
Associate's
|
132 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | ccc.edu |
| City Colleges of Chicago |
Associate's
|
132 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | ccc.edu |
| Cuyamaca College |
Associate's
|
124 | El Cajon, California | Public | cuyamaca.edu |
| Cypress College |
Associate's
|
124 | Cypress, California | Public | cypresscollege.edu |
| Laurel Ridge Community College |
Associate's
|
124 | Middletown, Virginia | Public | laurelridge.edu |
| University of Pittsburgh |
Bachelor's
|
121 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Public | pitt.edu |
| Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) |
Associate's
|
120 | Sylmar, California | Public | lamission.edu |
| Touro University |
Master's
|
120 | New York, New York | Private | touro.edu |
| San Diego Mesa College |
Associate's
|
118 | San Diego, California | Public | sdmesa.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Bachelor's
|
118 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| Joliet Junior College (JJC) |
Associate's
|
118 | Joliet, Illinois | Public | jjc.edu |
| Tidewater Community College (TCC) |
Associate's
|
116 | Norfolk, Virginia | Public | tcc.edu |
| Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) |
Associate's
|
114 | Belleville, Illinois | Public | swic.edu |
| Illinois Valley Community College (IVCC) |
Associate's
|
114 | Oglesby, Illinois | Public | ivcc.edu |
| Rend Lake College (RLC) |
Associate's
|
108 | Ina, Illinois | Public | rlc.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
108 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | psu.edu |
| Coastline Community College (CC) |
Associate's
|
107 | Fountain Valley, California | Public | coastline.edu |
| Morton College |
Associate's
|
107 | Cicero, Illinois | Public | morton.edu |
| Thomas Edison State University (TESU) |
Associate's
Bachelor's
|
104 | Trenton, New Jersey | Public | tesu.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
103 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | Public | newbrunswick.rutgers.edu |
| College of the Canyons |
Associate's
|
102 | Santa Clarita, California | Public | canyons.edu |
| City Colleges of Chicago (MXC) |
Associate's
|
102 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | ccc.edu |
| Woodland Community College (WCC) |
Associate's
|
100 | Woodland, California | Public | wcc.yccd.edu |
| University of Oregon (UO) |
Bachelor's
|
99 | Eugene, Oregon | Public | uoregon.edu |
| Portland State University (PSU) |
Bachelor's
|
96 | Portland, Oregon | Public | pdx.edu |
| Mt San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) |
Associate's
|
92 | Walnut, California | Public | mtsac.edu |
| Taft College |
Associate's
|
92 | Taft, California | Public | taftcollege.edu |
| Porterville College |
Associate's
|
91 | Porterville, California | Public | portervillecollege.edu |
| Florida Atlantic University (FAU) |
Bachelor's
|
90 | Boca Raton, Florida | Public | fau.edu |
| Chaffey College |
Associate's
|
89 | Rancho Cucamonga, California | Public | chaffey.edu |
| Virginia Peninsula Community College (VPCC) |
Associate's
|
89 | Hampton, Virginia | Public | vpcc.edu |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College (LATTC) |
Associate's
|
88 | Los Angeles, California | Public | lattc.edu |
| Bard College |
Bachelor's
|
87 | Annandale-On-Hudson, New York | Private | bard.edu |
| Coalinga College |
Associate's
|
86 | Coalinga, California | Public | westhillscollege.com |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Biological and Physical Sciences programs
How much can I earn with a Biological and Physical Sciences degree?
Salaries for Biological and Physical Sciences graduates vary by role and location. Natural Sciences Managers earn a median of $161,180 annually, while Postsecondary Teachers, All Other earn around $78,490. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $135,707 compared to $61,520 in Vermont. Approximately 1,324,940 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 Physical Sciences programs?
Currently 310 accredited institutions offer Biological and Physical Sciences degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Pasadena City College (PCC) (1,021 graduates), The University of Texas, Austin (924 graduates), and Los Angeles Pierce College (LAPC) (837 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 Physical Sciences growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 13,914 in 2010 to a peak of 30,038 in 2020, before declining slightly to 28,033 in 2023-24. This represents a 101% 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 Physical Sciences degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Natural Sciences Managers, Postsecondary Teachers, All Other, and Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education. Related occupations employ approximately 1,324,940 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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