Best Medical Scientist programs in Minnesota, ranked by enrollment
Conduct research dealing with the understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health.
23 schools in Minnesota run programs that feed this job, graduating 1,042 people a year. The job pays a median of $89,950 in Minnesota across about 6,760 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
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.
19 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.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 26.0908In Minnesota → | 299 | 28.7% | 6 | $31,146 | $23,384 |
| 2 | CIP 26.0202In Minnesota → | 234 | 22.5% | 18 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 3 | CIP 26.0901In Minnesota → | 118 | 11.3% | 1 | $31,146 | $23,384 |
| 4 | CIP 26.0102In Minnesota → | 61 | 5.9% | 5 | $32,152 | $25,000 |
| 5 | CIP 26.0401In Minnesota → | 59 | 5.7% | 1 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 6 | CIP 51.1401In Minnesota → | 50 | 4.8% | 3 | $223,926 | $16,250 |
| 7 | CIP 26.1309In Minnesota → | 43 | 4.1% | 1 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 8 | CIP 51.2202In Minnesota → | 33 | 3.2% | 1 | $36,762 | $25,076 |
| 9 | CIP 26.0503In Minnesota → | 27 | 2.6% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 10 | CIP 26.1102In Minnesota → | 24 | 2.3% | 1 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 11 | CIP 30.1101In Minnesota → | 19 | 1.8% | 3 | $37,623 | $25,986 |
| 12 | CIP 26.1002In Minnesota → | 17 | 1.6% | 2 | $39,202 | $18,000 |
| 13 | Biopsychologymain feeder CIP 30.1001In Minnesota → | 12 | 1.2% | 2 | $43,343 | $22,125 |
| 14 | CIP 26.0508In Minnesota → | 10 | 1.0% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 15 | CIP 26.0204In Minnesota → | 8 | 0.8% | 1 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 16 | CIP 26.1001In Minnesota → | 8 | 0.8% | 1 | $39,202 | $18,000 |
| 17 | CIP 26.0507In Minnesota → | 7 | 0.7% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 18 | CIP 51.2003In Minnesota → | 7 | 0.7% | 1 | $48,728 | $23,761 |
| 19 | CIP 51.2004In Minnesota → | 6 | 0.6% | 1 | $48,728 | $23,761 |
Top 23 schools in Minnesota
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 5 of the 23 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Public · 15 feeder programs | 641 | Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology | $31,613 | 85% | — | 80% |
| 2 | Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN Public · 3 feeder programs | 58 | Biomedical Sciences, General | $44,166 | 40% | — | 95% |
| 3 | The College of Saint Scholastica Duluth, MN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 55 | Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology | — | 71% | $21,150 | 93% |
| 4 | University of Minnesota - Duluth Duluth, MN Public · 2 feeder programs | 42 | Biochemistry | $31,150 | 65% | — | 89% |
| 5 | Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Rochester, MN Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 34 | Medical Science/Scientist | — | — | — | 39% |
| 6 | College of Saint Benedict Saint Joseph, MN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 33 | Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology | — | 77% | $22,583 | 92% |
| 7 | Saint Johns University Collegeville, MN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 29 | Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology | — | 75% | $19,900 | 91% |
| 8 | Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN Public · 2 feeder programs | 21 | Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology | — | 54% | — | 88% |
| 9 | Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead, MN Public · 2 feeder programs | 20 | Biomedical Sciences, General | $32,422 | 57% | — | 59% |
| 10 | Bethel University Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 16 | Medical Science/Scientist | — | 71% | $25,225 | 88% |
| 11 | Augsburg University Minneapolis, MN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 15 | Biopsychology | — | 52% | $23,585 | 82% |
| 12 | Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 14 | Biochemistry | — | 77% | $21,607 | 61% |
| 13 | Bethany Lutheran College Mankato, MN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 12 | Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology | — | 55% | $16,550 | 39% |
| 14 | University of St Thomas Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 12 | Biochemistry | $34,299 | 76% | $28,888 | 85% |
| 15 | Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, MN Public · 1 feeder programs | 9 | Biochemistry | — | 44% | — | 99% |
| 16 | Hamline University Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 7 | Biochemistry | — | 60% | $20,981 | 88% |
| 17 | Northwest Technical College Bemidji, MN Public · 1 feeder programs | 7 | Gerontology | — | 50% | — | — |
| 18 | St Catherine University Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 7 | Biochemistry | — | 61% | $21,042 | 92% |
| 19 | University of Northwestern - St Paul Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Biochemistry | — | 68% | $23,114 | 93% |
| 20 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 3 | Biochemistry | — | 66% | $18,163 | 93% |
| 21 | Concordia College at Moorhead Moorhead, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Biochemistry | — | 61% | $23,425 | 63% |
| 22 | Concordia University - Saint Paul Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Biochemistry | — | 46% | $17,328 | 79% |
| 23 | Rochester Community and Technical College Rochester, MN Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Biomedical Sciences, General | — | 29% | — | — |
All 23 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.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota - Twin Cities | Minneapolis | Public | 641 | 15 |
| Saint Cloud State University | Saint Cloud | Public | 58 | 3 |
| The College of Saint Scholastica | Duluth | Private not-for-profit | 55 | 2 |
| University of Minnesota - Duluth | Duluth | Public | 42 | 2 |
| Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 34 | 3 |
| College of Saint Benedict | Saint Joseph | Private not-for-profit | 33 | 2 |
| Saint Johns University | Collegeville | Private not-for-profit | 29 | 2 |
| Minnesota State University - Mankato | Mankato | Public | 21 | 2 |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead | Moorhead | Public | 20 | 2 |
| Bethel University | Saint Paul | Private not-for-profit | 16 | 2 |
| Augsburg University | Minneapolis | Private not-for-profit | 15 | 2 |
| Gustavus Adolphus College | Saint Peter | Private not-for-profit | 14 | 1 |
| Bethany Lutheran College | Mankato | Private not-for-profit | 12 | 2 |
| University of St Thomas | Saint Paul | Private not-for-profit | 12 | 1 |
| Metropolitan State University | Saint Paul | Public | 9 | 1 |
What medical scientists earn in Minnesota
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $103,410. Minnesota pays below the national figure.
Concentrated here: Minnesota employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Metro areas in Minnesota
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 Minnesota
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 Minnesota.
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 Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology, which awarded 299 degrees in Minnesota in 2024-25, 28.7% 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 19 programs to this occupation. The largest are Physiology, Biochemistry, Biology, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, plus 9 more. Together they graduate about 1,042 people a year in Minnesota.
How much do medical scientists earn in Minnesota?+
The median is $89,950 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 13.0% below 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 Minnesota?+
23 institutions in Minnesota reported graduates from at least one of the 19 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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