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

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

All biological scientists not listed.

47 schools in Minnesota run programs that feed this job, graduating 2,088 people a year. The job pays a median of $76,400 in Minnesota across about 750 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Also calledBotanistBiologistScientistBioinformaticistMedical GeneticistResearch ScientistMolecular BiologistBioinformatics Scientist
Graduates / yr
2,088
in Minnesota
Median pay · Minnesota
$76,400
BLS OEWS May 2025
Jobs in state
750
people employed
Schools
47
with a feeder program
Avg graduation rate
53%
across those schools
Median net price
$21,607
per year, IPEDS

Fields of study in Minnesota 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
1,441graduates / yr
45 schools · 1 specialization · 69.0% of pipeline
Grad earnings $32,152
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.15
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
184graduates / yr
8 schools · 1 specialization · 8.8% of pipeline
Grad earnings $31,687
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.13
Ecology
89graduates / yr
2 schools · 5 specializations · 4.2% of pipeline
Grad earnings $29,460
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.04
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
61graduates / yr
1 schools · 2 specializations · 2.9% of pipeline
Grad earnings $35,393
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
CIP 30.19
Nutrition Sciences
60graduates / yr
4 schools · 1 specialization · 2.9% of pipeline
Grad earnings $30,508
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.02
Biochemistry
58graduates / yr
5 schools · 2 specializations · 2.8% of pipeline
Grad earnings $38,243
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.11
Biomathematics
57graduates / yr
1 schools · 2 specializations · 2.7% of pipeline
Grad earnings $72,338
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.05
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
44graduates / yr
1 schools · 3 specializations · 2.1% of pipeline
Grad earnings $38,383
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.99
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
29graduates / yr
3 schools · 1 specialization · 1.4% of pipeline
Grad earnings $31,278
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
CIP 30.27
Human Biology
21graduates / yr
3 schools · 1 specialization · 1.0% of pipeline
Grad earnings $31,690
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.03
Botany/Plant Biology
19graduates / yr
1 schools · 2 specializations · 0.9% of pipeline
Grad earnings $33,009
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.07
Zoology/Animal Biology
14graduates / yr
1 schools · 2 specializations · 0.7% of pipeline
Grad earnings $28,266
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.10
Pharmacology and Toxicology
8graduates / yr
1 schools · 1 specialization · 0.4% of pipeline
Grad earnings $39,202
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
CIP 26.12
Biotechnology
3graduates / yr
1 schools · 1 specialization · 0.1% of pipeline
Grad earnings $49,023

25 programs in Minnesota that lead to this job

Ranked by graduates per year in Minnesota (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 Minnesota page.

Degree programs that lead to this occupation, ranked by graduates per year
#ProgramGraduates / yrShare of pipelineSchoolsGrad earnings (1 yr)Median debt
1
CIP 26.0101In Minnesota
1,441
69.0%
45$32,152$25,000
2
CIP 26.1501In Minnesota
184
8.8%
8$31,687$22,936
3
CIP 30.1901In Minnesota
60
2.9%
4$30,508$24,586
4
CIP 26.0401In Minnesota
59
2.8%
1$35,393$19,961
5
CIP 26.0210In Minnesota
50
2.4%
5$38,243$23,014
6
CIP 26.1301In Minnesota
38
1.8%
2$29,460$23,480
7
CIP 26.1199In Minnesota
33
1.6%
1$72,338$18,500
8
CIP 26.9999In Minnesota
29
1.4%
3$31,278$23,000
9
CIP 26.0503In Minnesota
27
1.3%
1$38,383$22,065
10
CIP 26.1102In Minnesota
24
1.1%
1$72,338$18,500
11
CIP 30.2701In Minnesota
21
1.0%
3$31,690$17,312
12
CIP 26.1304In Minnesota
17
0.8%
1$29,460$23,480
13
CIP 26.0399In Minnesota
16
0.8%
1$33,009$21,975
14
CIP 26.1310In Minnesota
15
0.7%
2$29,460$23,480
15
CIP 26.0508In Minnesota
10
0.5%
1$38,383$22,065
16
CIP 26.0707In Minnesota
10
0.5%
1$28,266$24,393
17
CIP 26.1305In Minnesota
10
0.5%
1$29,460$23,480
18
CIP 26.1311In Minnesota
9
0.4%
1$29,460$23,480
19
CIP 26.0204In Minnesota
8
0.4%
1$38,243$23,014
20
CIP 26.1001In Minnesota
8
0.4%
1$39,202$18,000
21
CIP 26.0507In Minnesota
7
0.3%
1$38,383$22,065
22
CIP 26.0702In Minnesota
4
0.2%
1$28,266$24,393
23
CIP 26.0305In Minnesota
3
0.1%
1$33,009$21,975
24
CIP 26.1201In Minnesota
3
0.1%
1$49,023$21,309
25
CIP 26.0499In Minnesota
2
0.1%
1$35,393$19,961

Top 25 schools in Minnesota

Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 25 of the 47 schools in this state.

Schools ranked by graduates per year into this occupation
#SchoolGraduates / yrTop feeder programGrad earnings (1 yr)Grad rateNet priceAcceptance
1University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN Public · 19 feeder programs
744Biology/Biological Sciences, General$36,13685%80%
2University of Minnesota - Duluth
Duluth, MN Public · 2 feeder programs
133Biology/Biological Sciences, General$31,89165%89%
3University of St Thomas
Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs
95Biology/Biological Sciences, General$36,07276%$28,88885%
4Minnesota State University - Mankato
Mankato, MN Public · 2 feeder programs
89Biology/Biological Sciences, General$37,21654%88%
5St Olaf College
Northfield, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
70Biology/Biological Sciences, General$36,42984%$18,12448%
6Macalester College
Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
64Biology/Biological Sciences, General$35,61687%$21,44129%
7Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
61Biology/Biological Sciences, General$31,87777%$21,60761%
8Bemidji State University
Bemidji, MN Public · 2 feeder programs
59Biology/Biological Sciences, General$37,46948%56%
9Carleton College
Northfield, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
56Biology/Biological Sciences, General$30,72690%$18,66920%
10Concordia College at Moorhead
Moorhead, MN Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs
52Biology/Biological Sciences, General$30,01261%$23,42563%
11College of Saint Benedict
Saint Joseph, MN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
51Biology/Biological Sciences, General$35,80077%$22,58392%
12Hamline University
Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs
48Biology/Biological Sciences, General$37,38260%$20,98188%
13Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN Public · 3 feeder programs
48Biology/Biological Sciences, General$44,16640%95%
14Winona State University
Winona, MN Public · 1 feeder programs
46Biology/Biological Sciences, General$38,66657%75%
15Bethel University
Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs
40Biology/Biological Sciences, General$37,92471%$25,22588%
16The College of Saint Scholastica
Duluth, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
35Biology/Biological Sciences, General$28,19571%$21,15093%
17St Catherine University
Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs
33Biology/Biological Sciences, General$40,93761%$21,04292%
18Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
Rochester, MN Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs
31Biochemistry and Molecular Biology39%
19Metropolitan State University
Saint Paul, MN Public · 1 feeder programs
31Biology/Biological Sciences, General$42,12844%99%
20Minnesota State University Moorhead
Moorhead, MN Public · 4 feeder programs
29Biology/Biological Sciences, General$32,42257%59%
21University of Minnesota - Morris
Morris, MN Public · 1 feeder programs
28Biology/Biological Sciences, General$40,41563%75%
22Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona, MN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
26Biology/Biological Sciences, General66%$18,16393%
23Augsburg University
Minneapolis, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
23Biology/Biological Sciences, General$35,98452%$23,58582%
24Concordia University - Saint Paul
Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
21Biology/Biological Sciences, General$35,29046%$17,32879%
25Normandale Community College
Bloomington, MN Public · 1 feeder programs
19Biology/Biological Sciences, General27%

All 47 schools in Minnesota

Every school in Minnesota 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 Minnesota that feed this occupation
SchoolCityControlGraduates / yrFeeder programs
University of Minnesota - Twin CitiesMinneapolisPublic74419
University of Minnesota - DuluthDuluthPublic1332
University of St ThomasSaint PaulPrivate not-for-profit953
Minnesota State University - MankatoMankatoPublic892
St Olaf CollegeNorthfieldPrivate not-for-profit701
Macalester CollegeSaint PaulPrivate not-for-profit642
Gustavus Adolphus CollegeSaint PeterPrivate not-for-profit611
Bemidji State UniversityBemidjiPublic592
Carleton CollegeNorthfieldPrivate not-for-profit561
Concordia College at MoorheadMoorheadPrivate not-for-profit523
College of Saint BenedictSaint JosephPrivate not-for-profit512
Hamline UniversitySaint PaulPrivate not-for-profit483
Saint Cloud State UniversitySaint CloudPublic483
Winona State UniversityWinonaPublic461
Bethel UniversitySaint PaulPrivate not-for-profit403

What biological scientists, all other earn in Minnesota

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

Median annual in Minnesota
$76,400
Mean annual
$80,210
Jobs in state
750
What the range looks like
10th pct$44,600Median$76,40090th pct$119,160
Versus the national median
-22.8%

U.S. median $98,920. Minnesota pays below the national figure.

Job concentration
0.71×

1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.

Metro areas in Minnesota

Duluth, MN-WI
$91,560median
40 jobs
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
$80,540median
510 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 Minnesota

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 Minnesota.

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 1,441 degrees in Minnesota in 2024-25, 69.0% 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 25 programs to this occupation. The largest are Biology, Neurobiology and Neurosciences, Ecology, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, plus 10 more. Together they graduate about 2,088 people a year in Minnesota.

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

The median is $76,400 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 22.8% below 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 Minnesota?+

47 institutions in Minnesota reported graduates from at least one of the 25 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.

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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