Authored by Rodney Southern in Education
Published on 08-05-2009

Biology is known to be one of the top majors for students who are entering college. What exactly can you do with a degree in biology, however? Many people are not quite sure what your options are. Here are some of the different jobs that someone with a degree in biology can choose to pursue.

Biotechnology

One of the highest paid career choices for someone with a bachelor’s degree in biology is biotechnology. Generally, biotechnologists work in the field of medicine. Pharmaceutical companies are one of the highest paid job settings that biotechnologists can work in. It is also very common for biotechnologists to pursue jobs in agriculture and food science. Biotechnologists can earn anywhere from $50,000 to $75,000 or more a year.

Education

Like many other majors, biology can be a great choice for those who are looking to pursue a career in education. With the proper teaching certifications, a bachelor’s degree in biology can lead to a job in secondary education. If you earn at least a master’s degree in biology, you can teach at a community college. A doctoral degree in biology can earn you a job teaching at a university. Secondary teachers generally earn between $35,000 and $50,000 a year. Community college professors may earn between $45,000 and $70,000 per year, while university professors can earn between $65,000 to $140,000 a year. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the pay for teachers varies by both school and state.

Medical

Many people who earn degrees in biology make the decision to pursue careers in the medical industry. With additional schooling and proper certifications, biologists can pursue careers in everything from veterinary science to immunology. A bachelor’s degree in biology is often viewed to be equivalent to a degree in pre-medicine. Depending on the type of profession that you choose to pursue, you can earn over $100,000 a year in the medical field.

Wildlife

Many biologists also work with wildlife. A degree in zoological science can help someone who is interested in biology work at a zoo or wildlife center. Marine biologists commonly work at aquariums. It is also very common for biologists to work for animal and wildlife conservatories. The pay for biologists who work with wildlife varies, but tends to average out at about $45,000 a year.

Research

It is very common for biologists to work in research positions. They may do studies on AIDS and other diseases. Many biologists also work in gene determination. It is very common for people who are biologists to work in research areas throughout the entire world. Aside from the United States, biologists may work in third world countries where certain diseases tend to be more troublesome. The amount of pay that a biologist can earn in research greatly varies.

No matter what it is that you are interested in doing, a degree in biology can be a great starting point. People who earn their bachelor’s degrees in biology have many job opportunities available to them. With advanced degrees, biologists can earn higher pay and do many different careers that a pre-medical student would generally choose to pursue.