Biotechnology major
Biotechnology: courses, careers, and where to study
Biotechnology applies biology, biochemistry, and genetics to engineer useful products like medicines, crops, and industrial enzymes, suiting students who want lab science aimed at real-world manufacturing.
Biotechnology trains students to turn living systems into practical products, applying biology, biochemistry, and genetics to develop medicines, agricultural crops, environmental cleanup tools, and industrial materials. Coursework blends molecular and cell biology with the chemistry and engineering of how things are actually made at scale, so students learn to grow microbes, plants, and animal cells and to harness them for production. Hands-on lab time is central: students culture cells, sequence and edit DNA, run immunoassays, and analyze biological data with bioinformatics tools. Unlike a general biology degree, which leans toward understanding organisms and the natural world, biotechnology stays focused on translating that science into manufacturable goods, and unlike bioengineering, which centers on designing devices and engineering systems, it emphasizes the biological processes and the bioprocessing steps that bring a product from the research bench into manufacturable batches. Students also encounter the regulatory, quality, and ethics dimensions that govern how biological products are tested, approved, and brought to market.
Many entry-level roles in biotechnology are reachable with a bachelor's degree, and programs are typically structured to pair lecture courses with sustained laboratory work, sometimes capped by a capstone project or an internship in a research or manufacturing setting. There is no single license to practice biotechnology, though graduates working in regulated clinical or diagnostic laboratories may need state credentials tied to those specific roles, so programmatic accreditation and any state licensure requirements should always be verified for the specific program and the work a graduate intends to do. Graduates work in pharmaceutical and biologics development, agricultural and food companies, environmental and industrial firms, contract manufacturing and quality-control laboratories, academic and government research labs, and start-ups, in roles spanning research support, process development, bioprocessing, and quality analysis.
In federal data for the closely related occupation of biological technicians, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $52,000 and projects employment to grow about 3.5% from 2024 to 2034; a bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for that occupation. National figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages or graduate outcomes.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Biotechnology maps to CIP 26.1201, Biotechnology, within the BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES family. The official definition:
A program that focuses on the application of the biological sciences, biochemistry, and genetics to the preparation of new and enhanced agricultural, environmental, clinical, and industrial products, including the commercial exploitation of microbes, plants, and animals. Includes instruction in bioinformatics, gene identification, phylogenetics and comparative genomics, bioinorganic chemistry, immunoassaying, DNA sequencing, xenotransplantation, genetic engineering, industrial microbiology, drug and biologic development, enzyme-based production processes, patent law, biotechnology management and marketing, applicable regulations, and biotechnology ethics.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Biotechnology is awarded as
Of the 3,750 Biotechnology credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate14%529
- Associate4%138
- Bachelor's25%926
- Graduate58%2,157
CampusPin does not have enough states reporting this field to say whether the mix changes from state to state. 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
- Molecular and cell biology fundamentals
- DNA sequencing and recombinant gene cloning techniques
- Genetic engineering and CRISPR-based gene editing
- Bioinformatics and biological data analysis
- Immunoassays and protein purification methods
- Bioprocessing, fermentation, and cell culture at scale
- Quality control and good manufacturing practice principles
- Bioethics and the regulatory pathway for biological products
- Laboratory safety, documentation, and instrumentation
Typical careers
- Biotechnologist
- Research Associate
- Process Development Scientist
- Quality Control Analyst
- Bioprocess Technician
- Laboratory Technician
Typical salary range: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 biological technicians median $52,000).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 Biotechnology, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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). 3 of these 3 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 Biotechnology 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 Biotechnology major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Biotechnology program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Biotechnology 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 Biotechnology 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 Biotechnology credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- Johns Hopkins UniversityMD · 467
- Gaston CollegeNC · 411
- Northeastern UniversityMA · 270
- University of Maryland Global CampusMD · 159
- University of HoustonTX · 85
- University of California-DavisCA · 70
- Morehouse School of MedicineGA · 59
- University of PennsylvaniaPA · 59
- California State University-San MarcosCA · 51
- Harvard UniversityMA · 50
- University of Alabama at BirminghamAL · 50
- North Carolina State University at RaleighNC · 49
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 Biotechnology credentials were awarded
10 states have a distinct enough set of Biotechnology colleges to be worth its own page.
Related majors
Biology
Biology is the foundational pre-health major, covering molecular, cellular, organismal, and ecological levels of living systems.
Biochemistry
Biochemistry studies the chemistry of living systems, bridging biology and chemistry for students aiming at research, biotech, pharmaceutical, or medical and graduate pathways.
Microbiology
Microbiology studies microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, suiting students aiming for lab research, biotech, public health, and clinical or pharmaceutical work.
Genetics
Genetics studies how heritable information is stored, regulated, and passed between generations, suiting students drawn to lab science, molecular detail, and how traits arise.
Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering applies engineering to medicine and biology, designing medical devices, imaging systems, and biomaterials, for students who want to improve healthcare through technology.
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 Biotechnology degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Management careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Science & Research careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Biotechnology 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 Biotechnology 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.