Jobs for Biology Majors With Good Pay

Happiness AbdulLast Updated: May 12, 2023

Jobs for Biology Majors With Good Pay: Ever pondered which occupations in your field would be the perfect fit for you? Pay is one of the most crucial considerations for a job, but it should never be the sole one.

To assist you in making a wise choice in the subject of biology, we have put together a list of the most recent job statistics. Biology is a vast subject of study that includes everything from zoology to agriculture to health care.

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Jobs for Biology Majors

Jobs requiring a biology degree can range widely in scope. But to get you started, here are our top 8 highest-paying biology careers:

1. Environmental Scientist

A job as an environmental scientist entails determining and researching the sources of pollution and creating strategies to reduce environmental risks. They frequently work in factories, on oil rigs, or at hazardous waste sites for businesses with environmental concerns.

To enter this field, environmental scientists must hold a bachelor’s degree. According to data from Glassdoor, the average annual pay for an environmental scientist is $78,552.

2. Licensed Nurse

A licensed nurse’s main responsibility is to provide patient care in clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare settings. They strive to improve people’s health, fend off disease, and support those who are unwell. Additionally, licensed nurses inform patients and the general public about a range of medical issues.

An associate’s or bachelor’s degree in nursing is normally required for a registered nurse, who also needs to obtain a license from the state where they intend to work.

Licensed nurses are paid differently according to their specializations, degree of education, and type of facility where they work. The typical yearly pay for registered nurses, according to Glassdoor, is $80,400.

3. Pharmaceutical Sales Representative

A pharmaceutical sales representative is in charge of promoting prescription medications and other healthcare services to doctors, medical facilities, and hospitals. Additionally called medical sales agents, they are. You need at least a bachelor’s degree in business or science to start a career in this industry. Experience in pharmaceutical sales, customer service, or marketing is frequently required by employers.

Pharmaceutical sales agents typically earn $88,497 per year, although their pay can vary greatly by region and level of expertise. Some businesses favor employing persons with backgrounds in research or medicine who can speak authoritatively about the medications they are offering. Other employers choose applicants with more sales experience since they know how to effectively pique consumers’ interest in their goods.

4. Veterinarians

Veterinarians seek to safeguard public health while caring for the health of animals. They identify, treat, and study the illnesses and ailments that affect pets, cattle, and other animals. The management of animal health care is at the forefront with veterinarians.

A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from a veterinary college that is accredited is required for veterinarians. To practice as an animal doctor, you also need a state license. Due to the frequent interactions you will have with both pet owners and other people, you must be a skilled communicator. Veterinarians may work for pharmaceutical firms, agribusinesses, or research initiatives. According to Glassdoor, veterinarians make an average of $116,038 a year. According to the BLS, employment of veterinarians will increase by 17% between 2020 and 2030.

5. Pharmacist

Pharmacists are medical professionals who give prescription drugs to patients and provide advice on how to use them safely. Additionally, they could provide health and wellness exams, administer vaccinations, monitor patient medication administration, and give lifestyle recommendations.

A pharmacist needs both a state license and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from a recognized pharmacy program. Due to the frequent interaction they have with angry or ill people, pharmacists also need to have strong interpersonal skills. A pharmacist should also be detail-oriented because they frequently work with complicated and sometimes harmful drugs.

Between 2020 and 2030, there is a predicted 2% reduction in pharmacist employment. Those who finish a 1- or 2-year residency after receiving their degree will have the highest job prospects. Pharmacy professionals make an average of $128k a year.

6. Physician Assistant

Physician assistants (PAs) are healthcare professionals who work under the direction of doctors and surgeons to offer medical care and services. They check out, identify, and treat patients. They also arrange medical tests, aid in surgeries, and educate patients about their health. PAs are able to make treatment requests, write prescriptions, and carry out a variety of medical tasks.

A master’s degree from a physician assistant training school that has been approved by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) is required for admission. In the United jurisdictions, PAs must be certified to work, while certain jurisdictions let uncertified PAs to practice. The median annual salary for physician assistants is about $154,000.

Before applying to formal training programs, most biology jobs for physician assistants demand at least two years of clinical experience working as a medical assistant or paramedic. By 2030, the BLS forecasts a 31% increase in demand for physician assistants.

7. Dentist

One of the highest-paying careers available to biology majors is this one. Dentists are important workers in the medical and scientific fields. They assist patients maintain healthy teeth and gums by performing standard dental operations. They offer procedures include dental cleanings, extractions, crowns, root canals, and cavity fillings. They occasionally also do jaw or oral surgery, such as when a patient needs their wisdom teeth removed.

Additionally, dentists are in charge of conducting examinations and identifying problems with oral health. They search for symptoms of conditions such as oral cancer, gum disease, cavities, and other ailments that affect the mouth. You’ll continue to provide your patients with adequate dental care as a dentist.

After earning your undergraduate degree, you must enroll in dentistry school if you want to become a dentist. Even after graduating from dental school, you must still obtain a state license in order to practice dentistry. Dentists make an average of $166K a year. The salary ranges from $106,000 to $2616,000. Dentists have excellent employment prospects, with job openings predicted to rise by 8% over the next 8 years. Although they can work in hospitals and clinics as well, dentists mainly work in private dental practices.

8. Physicians

Medical scientists, Physicians conduct physical exams, request and interpret tests, identify ailments, and write prescriptions for drugs. Most doctors have a specific field of expertise, such internal medicine or pediatrics.

Typically, a bachelor’s degree is not all that is required of doctors. A four-year medical school degree is required, as well as three to seven years of internship and residency training, depending on the speciality.

The typical yearly pay for physicians and surgeons is $223k, based on Salary Explorer data. The number of doctors and surgeons working is expected to increase by 3% by 2030. More people will need these products as long as the demand for healthcare services keeps increasing.

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