Best Medical Scientist programs in Arizona, ranked by enrollment
Conduct research dealing with the understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health.
16 schools in Arizona run programs that feed this job, graduating 1,834 people a year. The job pays a median of $116,820 in Arizona across about 2,190 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Arizona that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
22 programs in Arizona that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Arizona (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Arizona page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 26.0102In Arizona → | 512 | 27.9% | 6 | $32,152 | $25,000 |
| 2 | CIP 26.0202In Arizona → | 427 | 23.3% | 12 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 3 | CIP 26.0901In Arizona → | 298 | 16.2% | 1 | $31,146 | $23,384 |
| 4 | CIP 26.0908In Arizona → | 224 | 12.2% | 1 | $31,146 | $23,384 |
| 5 | CIP 26.0406In Arizona → | 106 | 5.8% | 3 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 6 | CIP 51.2010In Arizona → | 90 | 4.9% | 1 | $48,728 | $23,761 |
| 7 | CIP 26.0907In Arizona → | 41 | 2.2% | 1 | $31,146 | $23,384 |
| 8 | CIP 51.1401In Arizona → | 27 | 1.5% | 2 | $223,926 | $16,250 |
| 9 | CIP 26.0204In Arizona → | 25 | 1.4% | 1 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 10 | CIP 26.1007In Arizona → | 20 | 1.1% | 2 | $39,202 | $18,000 |
| 11 | CIP 26.0401In Arizona → | 11 | 0.6% | 1 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 12 | CIP 26.1001In Arizona → | 11 | 0.6% | 1 | $39,202 | $18,000 |
| 13 | CIP 26.0806In Arizona → | 8 | 0.4% | 1 | $31,800 | $21,424 |
| 14 | Molecular Medicinemain feeder CIP 26.1401In Arizona → | 6 | 0.3% | 1 | — | — |
| 15 | CIP 26.1102In Arizona → | 6 | 0.3% | 1 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 16 | CIP 26.0911In Arizona → | 5 | 0.3% | 1 | $31,146 | $23,384 |
| 17 | CIP 26.1504In Arizona → | 5 | 0.3% | 1 | $31,687 | $22,936 |
| 18 | CIP 51.2202In Arizona → | 5 | 0.3% | 1 | $36,762 | $25,076 |
| 19 | CIP 26.0508In Arizona → | 3 | 0.2% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 20 | CIP 26.1309In Arizona → | 2 | 0.1% | 1 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 21 | CIP 26.0203In Arizona → | 1 | 0.1% | 1 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 22 | CIP 30.1101In Arizona → | 1 | 0.1% | 1 | $37,623 | $25,986 |
Top 16 schools in Arizona
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 4 of the 16 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · 6 feeder programs | 700 | Biomedical Sciences, General | $34,206 | 68% | — | 90% |
| 2 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ Public · 16 feeder programs | 627 | Physiology, General | $28,435 | 68% | — | 86% |
| 3 | Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ Public · 2 feeder programs | 203 | Biomedical Sciences, General | $34,940 | 61% | — | 90% |
| 4 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZ Public · 4 feeder programs | 136 | Biochemistry | $43,333 | 0% | — | 67% |
| 5 | Midwestern University - Glendale Glendale, AZ Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 134 | Biomedical Sciences, General | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | Dine College Tsaile, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 9 | Biomedical Sciences, General | — | 13% | — | — |
| 7 | Mesa Community College Mesa, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Biochemistry | — | 16% | — | — |
| 8 | Phoenix College Phoenix, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Biochemistry | — | 14% | — | — |
| 9 | Glendale Community College Glendale, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Biochemistry | — | 16% | — | — |
| 10 | Rio Salado College Tempe, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Biochemistry | — | 9% | — | — |
| 11 | Chandler - Gilbert Community College Chandler, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Biochemistry | — | 30% | — | — |
| 12 | Estrella Mountain Community College Avondale, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Biochemistry | — | 32% | — | — |
| 13 | GateWay Community College Phoenix, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Biochemistry | — | 29% | — | — |
| 14 | Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology | — | 43% | $21,535 | 79% |
| 15 | Paradise Valley Community College Phoenix, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Biochemistry | — | 19% | — | — |
| 16 | South Mountain Community College Phoenix, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Biochemistry | — | 16% | — | — |
All 16 schools in Arizona
Every school in Arizona with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion | Tempe | Public | 700 | 6 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson | Public | 627 | 16 |
| Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff | Public | 203 | 2 |
| Arizona State University Digital Immersion | Scottsdale | Public | 136 | 4 |
| Midwestern University - Glendale | Glendale | Private not-for-profit | 134 | 3 |
| Dine College | Tsaile | Public | 9 | 1 |
| Mesa Community College | Mesa | Public | 6 | 1 |
| Phoenix College | Phoenix | Public | 5 | 1 |
| Glendale Community College | Glendale | Public | 3 | 1 |
| Rio Salado College | Tempe | Public | 3 | 1 |
| Chandler - Gilbert Community College | Chandler | Public | 2 | 1 |
| Estrella Mountain Community College | Avondale | Public | 2 | 1 |
| GateWay Community College | Phoenix | Public | 1 | 1 |
| Grand Canyon University | Phoenix | Private not-for-profit | 1 | 1 |
| Paradise Valley Community College | Phoenix | Public | 1 | 1 |
What medical scientists earn in Arizona
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $103,410. Arizona pays above the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Arizona
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Medical Scientists page.
How to become a Medical Scientist
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Arizona
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 25 majors mapped to Medical Scientists25 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 26.0102Biomedical Sciences, General
- 26.0202Biochemistry
- 26.0203Biophysics
- 26.0204Molecular Biology
- 26.0205Molecular Biochemistry
- 26.0401Cell/Cellular Biology and Histology
- 26.0403Anatomy
- 26.0404Developmental Biology and Embryology
- 26.0406Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
- 26.0407Cell Biology and Anatomy
- 26.0503Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology
- 26.0504Virology
- 26.0505Parasitology
- 26.0507Immunology
- 26.0508Microbiology and Immunology
- 26.0509Infectious Disease and Global Health
- 26.0806Human/Medical Genetics
- 26.0901Physiology, General
- 26.0902Molecular Physiology
- 26.0903Cell Physiology
- 26.0904Endocrinology
- 26.0905Reproductive Biology
- 26.0907Cardiovascular Science
- 26.0908Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology
- 26.0909Vision Science/Physiological Optics
Common questions
Answers for people weighing medical scientists programs in Arizona.
What degree do you need to become a Medical Scientist?+
Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Biomedical Sciences, General, which awarded 512 degrees in Arizona in 2024-25, 27.9% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Medical Scientist?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 22 programs to this occupation. The largest are Physiology, Biology, Biochemistry, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, plus 11 more. Together they graduate about 1,834 people a year in Arizona.
How much do medical scientists earn in Arizona?+
The median is $116,820 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 13.0% above the U.S. median of $103,410. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for medical scientists growing?+
BLS projects a +8.7% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 9,600 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Arizona?+
16 institutions in Arizona reported graduates from at least one of the 22 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do medical scientists work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Scientist, Study Director, Research Scientist, Clinical Research Scientist among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 19-1042.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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