Biology Undergraduate Jobs: A Comprehensive Guide to Career Paths

Biology is a versatile field offering diverse and rewarding career opportunities. A biology degree can pave the way to fast-growing fields with various rewarding and high-paying jobs, emphasizing the study of living things, including plants, animals, and bacteria. Over 3 million jobs exist in fields related to Biology in the US alone, with sixty-nine percent of those jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree in Biology. While a general Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Biology degree is an excellent choice for students to keep options open as they advance their studies, a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biology primarily focuses on the natural sciences as many students in these programs prepare for careers in the medical field. This article explores potential career paths for biology undergraduates, highlighting job duties, salary expectations, and future outlooks.

The Allure of Life Sciences

From improving human health to tackling climate change, biologists play an important part and are at the heart of major innovations and the biggest challenges. As humans strive to create balance and sustain ecosystems, biologists will play a key role in ensuring that all living things thrive in harmony.

An international consortium studying human genes and their capacity for coding proteins discovered “nearly 5,000 new human genes that code for proteins, many of which appear to be involved in the development of cancer and the immune system’s response to disease,” a potential goldmine of unexplored biology. This discovery in the behavior of short protein sequences is just one of the many exciting developments in biology that continue to advance research in life sciences.

Trends and Statistics in Biology

In the past two years, the pace and urgency of digital transformations in life sciences have increased rapidly. This new decade is already being acknowledged by 42% of biopharma executives who agreed that the metaverse will have a transformational impact on how work is done and how they interact with customers. As an intrinsic part of life science research, bioinformatics and computational training are increasingly becoming a standard in the curriculum of biology majors.

In a journal article titled “Current frontiers in bioinformatics and data science education: Global trends and gaps,” authors Smith et. al. (2025) identified the particular training needs for the computational and statistical competence of scientists across a range of disciplines. Briefings in Bioinformatics, the authors concluded, “regardless of career position or role, skill gaps in computational aspects of biology impede the advancement of research and continue to fuel a global need for bioinformatics education and training.” To thrive in life sciences research in the 21st century, every biology major needs to be equipped with computational skills.

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In the United States alone, life sciences employment reached a record 2.1 million in March 2025. Registering tempered growth after a 0.8% contraction, it outpaced many sectors amid economic headwinds (CBRE, 2025). There are over 174,000 biological and biomedical sciences graduates annually and 65% of adults believe that science has had a mostly positive effect on society.

The accelerated growth of jobs in the life sciences sector shows that careers for biology majors will continue to be in high demand. life sciences employment reached a record 2.1 million workers in March 2025, though growth has since proved fragile with some net declines (CBRE, 2025). Biology, considered one of the easiest degrees that pay well, encompasses diverse fields and biology majors are offered a myriad of options as they choose a career. These enrollments include bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. programs focused on training the next generation of life science professionals. Online biology degree offerings have also expanded access to those who want to pursue a career in biology.

As digitization and AI continue to permeate the life sciences, great innovations and discoveries are underway. The following list of biology careers and salaries hold the most potential and would make a difference in future career plans.

Biology Majors: Skills and Career Clusters

Biology majors study life, individual organisms, their communities, and the systems, cells, and processes that make up living matter. Studying biology teaches you to ask questions, make detailed observations, evaluate evidence, and solve problems. A career cluster is a group of jobs with similar features that often require similar knowledge or skills. Biology jobs often fall under the Health Science, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources career clusters.

Direct Patient Care Careers

Oncologist

Estimated Openings Per Year: 23,800
Job Description: Oncologists are physicians that specialize in treating cancer patients. They provide patients with treatment options, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each, and they also guide patients when it comes to the management of care. Oncologists manage multi-disciplinary teams in providing care for cancer patients that makes management an essential skill.
Education and Training: A bachelor’s degree in biology or any premed course is required before entering medical school. After completion, the student takes an internship and specializes in oncology, which takes at least five more years. The field of oncology has three major areas based on treatments, including radiation oncology, medical oncology, and surgical oncology. Depending on their interest, MDs may pursue a specialization in these areas. The field of oncology is constantly evolving as treatment and drug discoveries evolve, thus training is necessary to remain informed of the latest treatments.

Neurologist

Estimated Openings Per Year: 7,120
Job Description: Neurologists are physicians that are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage care for patients suffering from disorders of the nervous system. Neurosurgeons are those that specialize in performing surgeries that affect neural clusters, while pediatric neurologists treat neurological disorders in children. Neurologists often work in physician clinics and hospitals.
Education and Training: To become a neurologist, one must complete four years of premed education followed by another four years of medical school. Depending on the specialization, three to four years of internship is required, followed by three or more years of training in neurological diagnostic procedures. The outlook for this job is slower than average, not because there is low demand but because there is an ongoing physician deficit that is projected to grow within the next decade.

Physician

Estimated Openings Per Year: 23,800
Job Description: Working in both clinical and nonclinical settings, physicians and surgeons work in offices and hospitals, government agencies, insurance companies, and non-profit organizations. They have various specialties and sub-specialties, and typically focus on a particular age group when practicing their profession.
Education and Training: Aside from completing a bachelor’s and a medical degree, physicians and surgeons typically train for their specialty and spend three to nine years in internship and residency programs. Some physicians pursue further training through fellowships, which typically take up to three years. A big chunk of the job openings for physicians are due to practitioners retiring, thus the need for new physicians and surgeons.

Dentist

Estimated Openings Per Year: 5,100
Job Description: Dentists diagnose and treat dental issues and provide advice to patients on how to practice and develop better oral hygiene. Aside from routine cleaning, dentists perform oral surgery, correct bite issues, and design and fit dental prosthetics such as bridges, crowns, and dentures.
Education and Training: Dentists must graduate from an accredited dental program, which is typically a four-year bachelor’s degree in science, such as biology. Dental school takes additional four years to complete, and dentists should be able to complete two to four years of residency if they intend to have a specialty. General dentists, however, do not need additional training after dental school. Dentists need to be licensed to practice dentistry. The demand for dentists is expected to increase as a big portion of the population is aging and requires dental services.

Podiatrist

Estimated Openings Per Year: 11,500
Job Description: Podiatrists provide medical and surgical care to people with foot, ankle, and lower leg problems. They also perform surgery on lower extremities and provide special inserts to improve mobility. Podiatrists help patients in improving their movement problems. They also assess, diagnose, treat, and evaluate abnormalities related to the foot and lower limbs.
Education and Training: To become a podiatrist, one must have at least three years of undergraduate education. Most students, however, have a degree in healthcare, biology, or physical science. The Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) program takes four years to complete. The limited job growth projection for podiatrists is brought by the practice of patients consulting other specialists and physicians for their leg ailments.

Pharmacist

Estimated Openings Per Year: 13,600
Job Description: Pharmacists serve patients by reviewing and executing physicians’ prescriptions, preparing medications, and monitoring patient drug therapies. They are also in charge of compounding and dispensing pharmaceuticals. Pharmacists educate patients on how to follow their prescriptions, including the proper use and dosage of prescription drugs.
Education and Training: Pharmacists must have a Doctor of Pharmacy degree as awarded by an accredited pharmacy program, which includes healthcare-related courses such as biology. The program takes at least four years to finish. To be able to practice, pharmacy degree graduates must also pass licensure examinations.

Optometrist

Estimated Openings Per Year: 1,700
Job Description: Optometrists diagnose and treat visual problems. They also manage diseases, injuries, and other visual impairment concerns of patients. They examine the eyes to diagnose ocular disorders and perform routine eye inspections. Optometrists also prescribe and fit eyeglasses and contact lenses.
Education and Training: To become an optometrist, one should earn a premedical degree such as physical science or biology. Some have a four-year bachelor’s, while others have completed a three-year postsecondary education. The next step after completing the premedical is taking the doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree. Specializations entail taking another year of residency training.

Physician Assistant

Estimated Openings Per Year: 12,700
Job Description: Physician assistants work under the supervision of a physician as they evaluate patients and perform diagnostic tests. They may provide direct patient care because they are also licensed professionals with advanced degrees. Physician assistants also prescribe medicines. In a physician assistant vs nurse practitioner comparison, both professionals provide similar services but the former is trained under the medical track while the latter has undergone nursing training.
Education and Training: Physician education program students are bachelor’s degree completers and have experience in patient care. Their undergraduate coursework is often in healthcare or any related field such as biology. Some physician assistant programs also prefer applicants that have experience as paramedics or EMTs. At least two years of post-baccalaureate study is required to complete the physician assistant program.

Research-Oriented Careers

Biochemist and Biophysicist

Estimated Openings Per Year: 4,000
Job Description: Biochemists and biophysicists work in laboratories and often oversee research and development. While biochemists focus on the chemical structure and chemical reactions in living cells, biophysicists use the methods of biological and physical science to study the structure and functions of macromolecules.
Education and Training: Most biochemists and biophysicists have a bachelor’s degree in biology. Some Ph.D. holders start their careers by doing postdoctoral research and eventually work in independent research-and-development positions. They conduct studies to advance current knowledge in complex chemical combinations and reactions. The fast growth in demand for biochemists and biophysicists is due to the emergence of diseases that require rigorous scientific research for the development of pharmaceuticals and medicine manufacturing, including the design of biomedical instruments.

Veterinarian

Estimated Openings Per Year: 4,800
Job Description: Veterinarians are in charge of ensuring that animals are well taken care of, as this also has an effect on overall public health. They advise pet owners on how to properly take care of their pets, administer medication, and also perform surgery as needed. While most veterinarians work in private clinics, some are affiliated with hospitals, laboratories, farms, or zoos.
Education and Training: The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree is a veterinary medicine program that takes four years to complete. Prior to this, the student must have completed a bachelor’s degree.

Computational Biologist

Advances in technology have also ushered in a new era in this field. As computers become more powerful in capturing data, the importance of having computational skills in biology has emerged in recent years. A study by Martins et al. (2025) suggested that developing interactive computational tools should be part of the curriculum of undergraduate education in biochemistry, molecular biology, and structural biology. Published in Nature Communications, the authors presented the study with the title “Integrating generative AI and advanced simulation into the core undergraduate bioscience curriculum." The study suggested, “Beyond using computation in a more interactive way to help students develop algorithmic thinking skills, the final step in giving students the theory and simulation skills required for the 21st century STEM workforce is teaching students to program. Only then can students identify new problems and develop their own computational tools to solve these problems."

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Medical Scientist

Assist biological and medical scientists. Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment, monitor experiments, collect data and samples, make observations, and calculate and record results.

Microbiologist

Investigate the growth, structure, development, and other characteristics of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, algae, or fungi.

Agricultural and Food Scientists

Work with food scientists or technologists to perform standardized qualitative and quantitative tests to determine physical or chemical properties of food or beverage products.

Forensic Biologist and Chemist

More specifically, forensic biologists and chemists work in laboratories to analyze evidence using computers and high-tech equipment. Collect, identify, classify, and analyze physical evidence related to criminal investigations. Perform tests on weapons or substances, such as fiber, hair, and tissue to determine significance to investigation. May testify as expert witnesses on evidence or crime laboratory techniques.

Environmental Science Careers

Environmental Scientist

Environmental scientists are among the many popular and rewarding jobs in biology. They analyze environmental problems and develop solutions to address them.

Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist

Zoologists study animals in captivity and in the wild and how they interact with their ecosystems. A zoologist’s study of animals includes conducting scientific tests and experiments, such as taking blood samples to assess an animal’s health and researching their habitats.

Forester and Conservation Scientist

Other Biology-Related Careers

Scientific Research Manager

Scientific research managers typically work in offices and can be employed by government agencies, consultancies, universities, or corporations.

Agricultural Scientist

Work with agricultural scientists in plant, fiber, and animal research, or assist with animal breeding and nutrition. Set up or maintain laboratory equipment and collect samples from crops or animals. Prepare specimens or record data to assist scientists in biology or related life science experiments.

Biology Teacher

Teach courses in biological sciences.

Biophysicist

Study the chemical composition or physical principles of living cells and organisms, their electrical and mechanical energy, and related phenomena. May conduct research to further understanding of the complex chemical combinations and reactions involved in metabolism, reproduction, growth, and heredity.

Gaining Experience and Exploring Options

Experiencing research first-hand is an ideal way to evaluate and start a potential career in biology. The National Science Foundation supports active research participation by undergraduate students through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. Program alumni report that the experience was instrumental to their careers.

Through curriculum, internships, and research opportunities, candidates can pursue their passions while helping their community and the world.

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