Biology major
Biology: courses, careers, and where to study
Biology is the foundational pre-health major, covering molecular, cellular, organismal, and ecological levels of living systems.
A Biology major covers cellular and molecular biology, genetics, organismal biology, ecology, evolution, and physiology. Programs require a strong chemistry sequence (general and organic), physics, and calculus. Many BS-track programs require additional biochemistry and statistics. Common concentrations include Cell & Molecular, Ecology & Evolution, Marine, Microbiology, and Biotechnology.
Biology is the most common pre-medical major and a strong feeder into PhD programs in biological sciences. Graduates work in research labs, biotech, pharmaceutical, environmental, and clinical fields.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Biology maps to CIP 26.0101, Biology/Biological Sciences, General, within the BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES family. The official definition:
A general program of biology at the introductory, basic level or a program in biology or the biological sciences that is undifferentiated as to title or content. Includes instruction in general biology and programs covering a variety of biological specializations.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Biology is awarded as
Of the 88,302 Biology credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate<1%478
- Associate9%7,680
- Bachelor's85%75,330
- Graduate5%4,814
This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 51 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 0 percentage points between the 10th and 90th percentile state, so the credential is more a property of the field than of where you study it. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2023-24, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- General biology, cell, and molecular biology
- Genetics
- Ecology and evolution
- Anatomy and physiology
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
- Lab techniques (PCR, gel electrophoresis, microscopy, sequencing)
- Senior research project
Typical careers
- Pre-medicine pathway → MD/DO
- Research Lab Technician
- Biotech Researcher
- PhD Biologist (academia)
- Medical Lab Scientist
- Forensic Biologist
Typical salary range: $48,000–$72,000 early-career (varies; PhD significantly higher)Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Biology, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $64,580 | 66,200 | -1.6% | Bachelor's degree |
| Biological Technicians | $52,000 | 9,100 | +3.5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $161,180 | 8,500 | +3.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $83,460 | 5,400 | +7.3% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $93,330 | 4,800 | +1.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Food Science Technicians | $49,430 | 3,200 | +4.8% | Associate's degree |
| Agricultural Technicians | $46,790 | 2,900 | +4.3% | Associate's degree |
| Forensic Science Technicians | $67,440 | 2,900 | +12.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Life Scientists, All Other | $87,800 | 400 | +3.7% | Bachelor's degree |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 9 of these 9 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Biology does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Biology major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Biology program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Biology department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Biology program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Biology credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- Florida International UniversityFL · 983
- Arizona State University Campus ImmersionAZ · 893
- University of California-IrvineCA · 784
- The University of Texas at AustinTX · 744
- Houston Community CollegeTX · 626
- University of North Carolina at Chapel HillNC · 619
- Arizona State University Digital ImmersionAZ · 603
- Michigan State UniversityMI · 597
- University of FloridaFL · 593
- University of California-RiversideCA · 583
- University of GeorgiaGA · 557
- University of Wisconsin-MadisonWI · 506
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Biology credentials were awarded
47 states have a distinct enough set of Biology colleges to be worth its own page.
- California170
- Pennsylvania104
- New York99
- Texas95
- Massachusetts63
- Ohio61
- North Carolina52
- Georgia49
- Illinois46
- Minnesota45
- Indiana42
- Missouri41
- Michigan39
- Virginia39
- Iowa38
- Florida34
- Tennessee34
- New Jersey32
- Washington32
- South Carolina29
- Wisconsin28
- Kentucky26
- Oklahoma25
- Maryland24
- Arizona23
- Alabama23
- Kansas23
- Mississippi22
- Louisiana21
- Oregon21
- Colorado20
- Arkansas20
- Connecticut18
- Nebraska17
- New Mexico14
- West Virginia14
- New Hampshire14
- Maine12
- Montana11
- Idaho10
- Utah9
- South Dakota9
- Rhode Island8
- North Dakota8
- Vermont7
- Nevada6
- Wyoming6
Related majors
Health Sciences
Health Sciences is a broad pre-professional major for students preparing for medical, dental, PA, PT, or pharmacy school, combining biology, chemistry, and patient-care exposure.
Chemistry
Chemistry studies matter and its transformations, preparing graduates for pharmaceutical, materials, energy, environmental, and biotech careers, plus medical and graduate school.
Biochemistry
Biochemistry studies the chemistry of living systems, bridging biology and chemistry for students aiming at research, biotech, pharmaceutical, or medical and graduate pathways.
Environmental Science
Environmental Science combines biology, chemistry, geology, and policy to address climate, conservation, water, and pollution challenges.
Still deciding between Biology and something else?
These guides put Biologyside by side with the major it is most often confused with, using the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk to show where the two actually lead.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Biology degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Science & Research careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Education & Library careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Biology degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Biology path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.