Massachusetts·Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations·SOC 19-1029

Best Biological Scientist, All Other programs in Massachusetts, ranked by enrollment

All biological scientists not listed.

64 schools in Massachusetts run programs that feed this job, graduating 6,083 people a year. The job pays a median of $107,100 in Massachusetts across about 2,930 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Also calledBotanistBiologistScientistBioinformaticistMedical GeneticistResearch ScientistMolecular BiologistBioinformatics Scientist
Graduates / yr
6,083
in Massachusetts
Median pay · Massachusetts
$107,100
BLS OEWS May 2025
Jobs in state
2,930
people employed
Schools
64
with a feeder program
Avg graduation rate
60%
across those schools
Median net price
$24,206
per year, IPEDS

Fields of study in Massachusetts that lead to this job

Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.

Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.01
Biology
2,944graduates / yr
61 schools · 1 specialization · 48.4% of pipeline
Grad earnings $32,152
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.15
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
898graduates / yr
20 schools · 3 specializations · 14.8% of pipeline
Grad earnings $31,687
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.12
Biotechnology
533graduates / yr
16 schools · 1 specialization · 8.8% of pipeline
Grad earnings $49,023
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.02
Biochemistry
376graduates / yr
4 schools · 4 specializations · 6.1% of pipeline
Grad earnings $38,243
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.04
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
307graduates / yr
6 schools · 5 specializations · 5.1% of pipeline
Grad earnings $35,393
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
CIP 30.19
Nutrition Sciences
256graduates / yr
8 schools · 1 specialization · 4.2% of pipeline
Grad earnings $30,508
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.13
Ecology
237graduates / yr
3 schools · 5 specializations · 3.9% of pipeline
Grad earnings $29,460
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.11
Biomathematics
201graduates / yr
4 schools · 3 specializations · 3.3% of pipeline
Grad earnings $72,338
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.99
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
200graduates / yr
5 schools · 1 specialization · 3.3% of pipeline
Grad earnings $31,278
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.05
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
72graduates / yr
2 schools · 4 specializations · 1.2% of pipeline
Grad earnings $38,383
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
CIP 30.32
Marine Sciences
24graduates / yr
4 schools · 1 specialization · 0.4% of pipeline
Grad earnings $27,337
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.10
Pharmacology and Toxicology
19graduates / yr
3 schools · 1 specialization · 0.3% of pipeline
Grad earnings $39,202
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.08
Genetics
9graduates / yr
2 schools · 3 specializations · 0.2% of pipeline
Grad earnings $31,800
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.03
Botany/Plant Biology
4graduates / yr
1 schools · 1 specialization · 0.1% of pipeline
Grad earnings $33,009
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.09
Physiology
3graduates / yr
1 schools · 1 specialization · 0.0% of pipeline
Grad earnings $31,146

35 programs in Massachusetts that lead to this job

Ranked by graduates per year in Massachusetts (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 Massachusetts page.

Degree programs that lead to this occupation, ranked by graduates per year
#ProgramGraduates / yrShare of pipelineSchoolsGrad earnings (1 yr)Median debt
12,944
48.4%
61$32,152$25,000
2871
14.3%
20$31,687$22,936
3533
8.8%
16$49,023$21,309
4256
4.2%
8$30,508$24,586
5239
3.9%
4$38,243$23,014
6223
3.7%
6$35,393$19,961
7200
3.3%
5$31,278$23,000
8126
2.1%
4$72,338$18,500
998
1.6%
3$38,243$23,014
1088
1.4%
2$29,460$23,480
1165
1.1%
2$29,460$23,480
1260
1.0%
2$72,338$18,500
1352
0.9%
1$35,393$19,961
1442
0.7%
1$38,383$22,065
1533
0.5%
3$29,460$23,480
1628
0.5%
2$29,460$23,480
1727
0.4%
1$38,243$23,014
1824
0.4%
4$27,337$22,400
1923
0.4%
1$29,460$23,480
2022
0.4%
1$31,687$22,936
2120
0.3%
2$38,383$22,065
2219
0.3%
3$39,202$18,000
2317
0.3%
2$35,393$19,961
2415
0.2%
1$72,338$18,500
2512
0.2%
1$38,243$23,014
2612
0.2%
1$35,393$19,961
275
0.1%
1$38,383$22,065
285
0.1%
2$38,383$22,065
295
0.1%
1$31,687$22,936
304
0.1%
1$33,009$21,975
314
0.1%
2$31,800$21,424
324
0.1%
1$31,800$21,424
333
0.0%
1$35,393$19,961
343
0.0%
1$31,146$23,384
351
0.0%
1$31,800$21,424

Top 25 schools in Massachusetts

Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 34 of the 64 schools in this state.

Schools ranked by graduates per year into this occupation
#SchoolGraduates / yrTop feeder programGrad earnings (1 yr)Grad rateNet priceAcceptance
1Boston University
Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 16 feeder programs
895Biology/Biological Sciences, General$40,16589%$21,95611%
2Northeastern University
Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs
873Biotechnology91%$18,9255%
3Harvard University
Cambridge, MA Private not-for-profit · 16 feeder programs
635Neuroscience$46,99398%$15,0134%
4University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Amherst, MA Public · 9 feeder programs
588Biology/Biological Sciences, General$40,42783%60%
5Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
346Biology/Biological Sciences, General$38,59291%$21,12616%
6Tufts University
Medford, MA Private not-for-profit · 10 feeder programs
324Biology/Biological Sciences, General$39,01694%$23,57011%
7University of Massachusetts - Boston
Boston, MA Public · 3 feeder programs
218Biology/Biological Sciences, General$42,72149%84%
8Brandeis University
Waltham, MA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs
193Biology/Biological Sciences, General$37,47586%$25,07440%
9University of Massachusetts - Lowell
Lowell, MA Public · 3 feeder programs
168Biology/Biological Sciences, General$46,52665%83%
10Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs
106Biology/Biological Sciences, General96%$11,6665%
11College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
94Biology/Biological Sciences, General$43,27687%$24,53318%
12Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, MA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs
94Biology/Biological Sciences, General$51,71190%$32,92660%
13Emmanuel College
Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs
80Biology/Biological Sciences, General$45,27568%$29,72376%
14Simmons University
Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs
76Nutrition Sciences72%$24,84870%
15University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth
North Dartmouth, MA Public · 5 feeder programs
76Biology/Biological Sciences, General$41,20452%91%
16Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
72Biology/Biological Sciences, General$39,27084%$26,08336%
17Amherst College
Amherst, MA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs
65Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Other94%$16,0819%
18Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, MA Public · 1 feeder programs
64Biology/Biological Sciences, General$44,62653%88%
19Salem State University
Salem, MA Public · 1 feeder programs
64Biology/Biological Sciences, General$45,67050%96%
20Worcester State University
Worcester, MA Public · 2 feeder programs
63Biology/Biological Sciences, General$44,45061%88%
21Smith College
Northampton, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
60Biology/Biological Sciences, General$32,74789%$17,18321%
22Clark University
Worcester, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
59Biology/Biological Sciences, General$37,59077%$23,33240%
23Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
Norton, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
53Biology/Biological Sciences, General$26,66173%$26,44568%
24Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
49Biology/Biological Sciences, General$36,62192%$19,29214%
25Suffolk University
Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
46Biology/Biological Sciences, General$42,85261%$28,89582%

All 64 schools in Massachusetts

Every school in Massachusetts 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.

All schools in Massachusetts that feed this occupation
SchoolCityControlGraduates / yrFeeder programs
Boston UniversityBostonPrivate not-for-profit89516
Northeastern UniversityBostonPrivate not-for-profit8738
Harvard UniversityCambridgePrivate not-for-profit63516
University of Massachusetts - AmherstAmherstPublic5889
Boston CollegeChestnut HillPrivate not-for-profit3462
Tufts UniversityMedfordPrivate not-for-profit32410
University of Massachusetts - BostonBostonPublic2183
Brandeis UniversityWalthamPrivate not-for-profit1934
University of Massachusetts - LowellLowellPublic1683
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgePrivate not-for-profit1063
College of the Holy CrossWorcesterPrivate not-for-profit942
Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcesterPrivate not-for-profit944
Emmanuel CollegeBostonPrivate not-for-profit804
Simmons UniversityBostonPrivate not-for-profit763
University of Massachusetts - DartmouthNorth DartmouthPublic765

What biological scientists, all other earn in Massachusetts

What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.

Median annual in Massachusetts
$107,100
Mean annual
$122,930
Jobs in state
2,930
What the range looks like
10th pct$69,500Median$107,10090th pct$194,050
Versus the national median
+8.3%

U.S. median $98,920. Massachusetts pays above the national figure.

Job concentration
2.24×

Concentrated here: Massachusetts employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.

Metro areas in Massachusetts

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
$110,410median
2,630 jobs
Barnstable Town, MA
$108,850median
60 jobs
Worcester, MA
$96,550median
150 jobs
Amherst Town-Northampton, MA
$78,120median
70 jobs

Job outlook

Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.

Projected growth 2024–34
+1.2%
Little or no change
Openings per year
4,800
new jobs plus replacements
Employment change
800
63,700 → 64,500
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree

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 Biological Scientists, All Other page.

How to become a Biological Scientist, All Other

Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above
Typical entry education
Bachelor's 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

ScienceReading ComprehensionWritingCritical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeaking

The same job in other states

Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.

Related careers in Massachusetts

Every major mapped to this job

The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.

All 25 majors mapped to Biological Scientists, All Other24 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
  • 26.0101Biology/Biological Sciences, General
  • 26.0204Molecular Biology
  • 26.0207Structural Biology
  • 26.0208Photobiology(no graduates reported)
  • 26.0209Radiation Biology/Radiobiology
  • 26.0210Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • 26.0299Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Other
  • 26.0301Botany/Plant Biology
  • 26.0305Plant Pathology/Phytopathology
  • 26.0307Plant Physiology
  • 26.0308Plant Molecular Biology
  • 26.0399Botany/Plant Biology, Other
  • 26.0401Cell/Cellular Biology and Histology
  • 26.0403Anatomy
  • 26.0404Developmental Biology and Embryology
  • 26.0406Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
  • 26.0407Cell Biology and Anatomy
  • 26.0499Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other
  • 26.0503Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology
  • 26.0504Virology
  • 26.0505Parasitology
  • 26.0506Mycology
  • 26.0507Immunology
  • 26.0508Microbiology and Immunology
  • 26.0509Infectious Disease and Global Health

Common questions

Answers for people weighing biological scientists, all other programs in Massachusetts.

What degree do you need to become a Biological Scientist, All Other?+

Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Biology/Biological Sciences, General, which awarded 2,944 degrees in Massachusetts in 2024-25, 48.4% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.

Which college majors lead to becoming a Biological Scientist, All Other?+

The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 35 programs to this occupation. The largest are Biology, Neurobiology and Neurosciences, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, plus 11 more. Together they graduate about 6,083 people a year in Massachusetts.

How much do biological scientists, all other earn in Massachusetts?+

The median is $107,100 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 8.3% above the U.S. median of $98,920. 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 biological scientists, all other growing?+

BLS projects a +1.2% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 4,800 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.

How many schools offer programs for this career in Massachusetts?+

64 institutions in Massachusetts reported graduates from at least one of the 35 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 biological scientists, all other work under?+

Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Botanist, Biologist, Scientist, Bioinformaticist, Medical Geneticist, Research Scientist among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 19-1029.

Biological Scientists, All Other in other statesCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaPennsylvaniaNorth CarolinaMichiganGeorgia

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 2025

    Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.

  • BLS Employment Projections

    2024–34

    Projected 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 cohorts

    Median graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.

  • Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes

    latest available

    Graduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.

  • NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk

    CIP 2020 / SOC 2018

    Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.

  • O*NET Database 30.3

    30.3

    Tasks, 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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