| What is major in biology good for?I really love biology, and I would like to know precisely what kind of jobs I can get as a bio major (besides being a professor), how much they pay, and if bio major is on demand these days. I would greatly appreciate any additional advice about this major, the downfalls of it, and anything else I might need to know.
P.S. please inform me about the pay, it's very important to me, I am not looking for extreme riches, I would just like to make sure I earn a decent living with the major I choose.
Asked By: hjj - 4/1/2009 |
For you I’ll list out all the businesses and industries with the prospective employers. From there on you engage a promising career of your own choice.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
* Basic
* Applied
* Quality Control
* Administration
* Grant Writing
EMPLOYERS
* Industry and laboratories: pharmaceutical, healthcare, agriculture production, food processing and safety, environmental
* Private research institutions
* Public health departments
* State and federal government: National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Agriculture, Armed Services, Department of Homeland Security
* State and local governmental laboratories/agencies
* Colleges and universities
ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY
Some Areas of Specialization:
* Botany and plant sciences
* Ecology and wildlife
* Marine and aquatic
* Systematic (Taxonomy)
* Zoology
* Entomology
* Genetics
* Microbiology: bacteria, algae, fungi, molds, yeasts, viruses, protozoa
EMPLOYERS
* Colleges and universities, especially colleges of agriculture and veterinary medicine
* Veterinary hospitals
* State and federal government: Departments of Agriculture, Interior, and Health
* Independent laboratories: food production, textiles, chemical, pharmaceutical, and forestry products
* Zoos and aquariums
* Fish hatcheries
* Wildlife preserves and parks
* Conservation agencies
* Botanical gardens and arboretums
* Museums
* Agricultural experiment stations
* Inspection agencies and control boards
* National and international environmental organizations
* Private recreation organizations
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
Some areas of specialization:
* Biophysics
* Biochemistry
* Cellular and Molecular Biology
* Cytology
* Genetics
* Immunology
* Pathology
* Pharmacology
* Physiology
* Virology
EMPLOYERS
* Colleges and universities
* Professional schools including colleges of pharmacy, dentistry, medicine, veterinary medicine, and agriculture
* Federal laboratories and regulatory agencies: National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration
* State and local public health departments
* Clinics and hospitals
* Private research foundations
* Independent laboratories
* Pharmaceutical companies
BIOINFORMATICS
* Algorithm and statistics development
* Data analysis and interpretation
* Information management: organization and retrieval
EMPLOYERS
* Colleges and universities
* Private research foundations
* Independent laboratories: organic and agricultural chemicals, drug and pharmaceutical, medical device and equipment, research, testing, and medical
* Federal laboratories and regulatory agencies: National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Agriculture
* National Biological Information Infrastructure
# A Bachelor's degree will qualify one for work as a laboratory assistant, technician, technologist, or research assistant in education, industry, government, museums, parks, and gardens.
# An undergraduate degree can also be used for nontechnical work in writing, illustration, sales, photography, and legislation.
Median Salaries for a Biology degree are:
Research associate, biotechnology = $ 43,800
High School teacher = $ 41,700
Research Scientist, Biotechnology = $ 53,900
Research assistant, medical = $ 32,000
Median Salaries for a Biology degree By Experience:
Less than 1 year = $ 36,200
1 – 4 years = $ 42,000
5 – 9 years = $ 57,000
Best of luck
Answered By: Sarah P - 4/2/2009 |