Many students choose an undergraduate degree in biology with the intent to apply to medical school. Because there is so much course overlap between pre-med requirements and biology degree requirements, this seems like a logical decision (read more about the pre-med timeline here).
But as students move through college classes, many decide they no longer want to pursue medicine as a career. Leaving students to wonder what else they can do with a degree in biology. Highlighted below are several solid options outside of healthcare. If you’ve decided you don’t want to go to medical school, but do still want to stay in healthcare, learn about healthcare-related alternatives here.
What You Can Do with a Biology Degree
1. Biomedical Engineering
Engineering is a growing and lucrative career field. Biology students may be surprised to learn about the opportunities they may have in biomedical engineering. There are a range of careers within biomedical engineering. Clinical engineers work face-to-face with patients to ensure implantable medical devices function properly. Engineers in research and development focus on the development of new, life-saving medical devices.
With the right grades and undergraduate networking, it is possible to begin a career in this field with only a bachelor’s degree. But as with most fields, there are more opportunities with a masters degree. And biology students are qualified to apply for most masters programs in biomedical engineering- even without a background in engineering. Applicants only need a coursework in biology, physics, and advanced mathematics, which most biology majors already have.
Post-Graduate Study: 2 years (masters program)
Average Salary: $101,000
2. Food Science
Food Science is another field in which, with the right grades and networking, it is possible to begin a career with only a bachelor’s degree. But a master’s degree is still recommended, and most biology majors already qualify for these programs. Food science is a critical field of biology with multiple areas of expertise.
Food microbiology, for example, focuses on the detection of potentially pathogenic microorganisms in food as well as the study and development of foods and packaging with the goal of decreasing risk of exposure to these pathogens. Food engineering and processing is another area of food science which focuses on developing foods with certain desired characteristics such as increased shelf life or safety. These are only some examples of positions within the field of food science that may be of interest to biology majors- especially those with culinary talents.
Post-Graduate Study: 2 years (masters program)
Average Salary: $111,000
3. Science Teacher
Public school teachers are notoriously underpaid, so much so that in recent years fewer and fewer students have gone into teaching at all. Ironically, this may be good news for those interested in teaching science. As demand for science teachers has remained the same (and in some ways even increased), supply has reduced significantly.
In other words, good science teachers have become hard to find. And some schools are willing to pay such professionals pretty well. Pay ranges significantly by location, so if willing to move, science teachers can make a relatively decent living. Science teachers are also desperately needed and make an enormous impact in the lives of hundreds of students. For those looking to really make a difference, teaching may be your calling.
Post-Graduate Study: not required
Average Salary: $62,000
4. Drug Research
Pharmaceutical research is a lucrative field for the chemistry-inclined biology major. With the right grades and undergraduate networking, it’s possible to enter the field with just a bachelors degree. But there are more opportunities and better pay with a masters degree.
Like most careers, there is no one correct pathway. Individuals come from a broad range of backgrounds and can enter the field of drug research with masters degrees in biomedical sciences, pharmacology, or specialized masters programs in pharmaceutical development. Research experience is generally preferred and often included as part of a masters program. But undergraduate research experience is a great benefit. A more comprehensive list of programs can be found here.
Post-Graduate Study: 2 years (masters)
Average Salary: $121,000
5. Agricultural Engineering
Similar to food scientists, agricultural engineers are increasingly critical to the modern world. Scientific research and development in agricultural engineering focuses on large-scale agricultural storage and processing techniques and is a particularly lucrative and rewarding field for those with a background in biology. There are also agricultural engineers who focus on developing cleaner and more sustainable agricultural techniques, another rewarding area for biologists.
The path to agricultural engineering can be similar to that of food science, and there is some overlap. Like graduate programs in biomedical engineering, masters programs in biosystems or agricultural engineering generally require no background in engineering. Applicants only need a coursework in biology, physics, and advanced mathematics, which most biology majors already have. Depending on your area of interest, undergraduate research experience may also be beneficial.
Post-Graduate Study: 2 years (masters)
Average Salary: $87,000
Final Thoughts
Biology majors have countless options outside of healthcare. While it is possible to begin many of these careers immediately after graduation with only a bachelor’s degree, most have far more opportunities for growth with a master’s. Unfortunately, this increasingly is the case for most professions both in and outside the sciences.
Luckily, most biology students have likely covered the pre-requisites for these masters programs already. Most careers have more than one pathway to entry, and individuals come from a variety of backgrounds and hold a variety of different graduate degrees that can all result in the same position. So it is good to research the different kinds of graduate programs that may be appropriate for your field of interest.
Always research admissions requirements for individual programs. If possible, reach out for a meeting or tour with departments or programs you may be interested in to learn more. Take advantage of undergraduate research opportunities, as research experience is often a benefit in any science-oriented career. And if you can, reach out to career counselors or even individual companies or institutions for more information on what they look for in potential hires and what kinds of opportunities they may have to offer.
