Biotechnology degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in biotechnology earn a median $76,622 four years after finishing, across 13 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in miscellaneous biology earn $55,839, $6,210 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is other life, physical, and social science technicians (4%).
Median across 13 colleges; middle half $73,152–$87,406.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $35,750–$78,710. 705 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Miscellaneous Biology"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$20,201/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs biotechnology graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in miscellaneous biology actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Life, Physical, And Social Science Technicians | 4% | — | — | — | — |
| Biological Scientists | 3% | $99,760 | +6.7% | — | — |
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 3% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Other Managers | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Registered Nurses | 3% | $97,550 | +5.6% | Bachelor's degree | SCI |
| Animal Caretakers | 2% | $35,360 | +12.1% | High school diploma or equivalent | RSC |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | 2% | $122,570 | +2.1% | Bachelor's degree | IRC |
| Other Life Scientists | 2% | — | — | — | — |
These 8 jobs account for 23% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Biotechnology earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | $75,082 (4) | $69,208 (143) |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where biotechnology graduates earn the most
The highest graduate earnings among the 100 colleges we cover that offer this major. Pick your state in the table above, or open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Worcester State UniversityMA | $90,565 | $22,056 |
| 2 | Rutgers University-New BrunswickNJ | $87,600 | $26,686 |
| 3 | Syracuse UniversityNY | $87,596 | $27,000 |
| 4 | University of California-DavisCA | $87,406 | $11,985 |
| 5 | University of HoustonTX | $78,750 | $19,250 |
| 6 | Endicott CollegeMA | $78,735 | $27,000 |
| 7 | California State University-San MarcosCA | $76,622 | $18,500 |
| 8 | Rochester Institute of TechnologyNY | $74,613 | $24,125 |
| 9 | California State University-NorthridgeCA | $73,542 | $20,618 |
| 10 | California State Polytechnic University-PomonaCA | $73,152 | $18,500 |
| 11 | Utah Valley UniversityUT | $67,603 | $16,500 |
| 12 | James Madison UniversityVA | $65,893 | $20,209 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Biotechnology degree questions
How much do Biotechnology graduates make?
Biotechnology graduates earn a median $76,622 four years after finishing, across 13 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $73,152 to $87,406; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in miscellaneous biology, the median is $55,839 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Biotechnology degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in miscellaneous biology earn a median $55,839: $6,210 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $20,201 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Biotechnology graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in miscellaneous biology, the most common jobs are other life, physical, and social science technicians (4%), biological scientists (3%), elementary and middle school teachers (3%).
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Biotechnology degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/biotechnology.