Best Natural Sciences Manager programs in Minnesota, ranked by enrollment
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these.
48 schools in Minnesota run programs that feed this job, graduating 4,164 people a year. The job pays a median of $136,450 in Minnesota across about 1,530 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.
56 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 26.0101In Minnesota → | 1,441 | 34.6% | 45 | $32,152 | $25,000 |
| 2 | CIP 40.0501In Minnesota → | 404 | 9.7% | 31 | $42,620 | $23,900 |
| 3 | CIP 27.0101In Minnesota → | 396 | 9.5% | 23 | $48,772 | $21,544 |
| 4 | CIP 26.0202In Minnesota → | 234 | 5.6% | 18 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 5 | CIP 40.0801In Minnesota → | 223 | 5.4% | 17 | $47,156 | $23,490 |
| 6 | CIP 26.1501In Minnesota → | 184 | 4.4% | 8 | $31,687 | $22,936 |
| 7 | CIP 27.0501In Minnesota → | 164 | 3.9% | 8 | $59,718 | $20,150 |
| 8 | CIP 30.7001In Minnesota → | 101 | 2.4% | 8 | — | — |
| 9 | CIP 40.0601In Minnesota → | 99 | 2.4% | 12 | $39,678 | $24,864 |
| 10 | CIP 27.0305In Minnesota → | 94 | 2.3% | 2 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
| 11 | CIP 30.1901In Minnesota → | 60 | 1.4% | 4 | $30,508 | $24,586 |
| 12 | CIP 26.0401In Minnesota → | 59 | 1.4% | 1 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 13 | CIP 26.0210In Minnesota → | 50 | 1.2% | 5 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 14 | CIP 30.4401In Minnesota → | 50 | 1.2% | 2 | — | — |
| 15 | CIP 51.1401In Minnesota → | 50 | 1.2% | 3 | $223,926 | $16,250 |
| 16 | CIP 30.2501In Minnesota → | 42 | 1.0% | 4 | $41,362 | $17,750 |
| 17 | CIP 26.1301In Minnesota → | 38 | 0.9% | 2 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 18 | CIP 26.1199In Minnesota → | 33 | 0.8% | 1 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 19 | CIP 26.9999In Minnesota → | 29 | 0.7% | 3 | $31,278 | $23,000 |
| 20 | CIP 40.0202In Minnesota → | 29 | 0.7% | 1 | $39,728 | $24,678 |
| 21 | CIP 27.0301In Minnesota → | 28 | 0.7% | 4 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
| 22 | CIP 26.0503In Minnesota → | 27 | 0.6% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 23 | CIP 30.3301In Minnesota → | 26 | 0.6% | 4 | $37,223 | $20,968 |
| 24 | CIP 26.1102In Minnesota → | 24 | 0.6% | 1 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 25 | CIP 40.0605In Minnesota → | 24 | 0.6% | 2 | $39,678 | $24,864 |
| 26 | CIP 30.3001In Minnesota → | 23 | 0.6% | 3 | $50,745 | $27,000 |
| 27 | CIP 30.2701In Minnesota → | 21 | 0.5% | 3 | $31,690 | $17,312 |
| 28 | CIP 26.0399In Minnesota → | 16 | 0.4% | 1 | $33,009 | $21,975 |
| 29 | CIP 26.1310In Minnesota → | 15 | 0.4% | 2 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 30 | CIP 30.4101In Minnesota → | 15 | 0.4% | 1 | — | — |
| 31 | CIP 40.0404In Minnesota → | 13 | 0.3% | 1 | $41,430 | $25,500 |
| 32 | CIP 30.1001In Minnesota → | 12 | 0.3% | 2 | $43,343 | $22,125 |
| 33 | CIP 52.0216In Minnesota → | 12 | 0.3% | 1 | $43,506 | $25,000 |
| 34 | CIP 26.0508In Minnesota → | 10 | 0.2% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 35 | CIP 26.0707In Minnesota → | 10 | 0.2% | 1 | $28,266 | $24,393 |
| 36 | CIP 27.0503In Minnesota → | 10 | 0.2% | 1 | $59,718 | $20,150 |
| 37 | CIP 26.1311In Minnesota → | 9 | 0.2% | 1 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 38 | CIP 26.0204In Minnesota → | 8 | 0.2% | 1 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 39 | CIP 26.1001In Minnesota → | 8 | 0.2% | 1 | $39,202 | $18,000 |
| 40 | Natural Sciencesmain feeder CIP 30.1801In Minnesota → | 7 | 0.2% | 3 | $29,587 | $21,610 |
| 41 | CIP 26.0507In Minnesota → | 7 | 0.2% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 42 | CIP 30.7099In Minnesota → | 7 | 0.2% | 1 | — | — |
| 43 | CIP 40.0802In Minnesota → | 7 | 0.2% | 1 | $47,156 | $23,490 |
| 44 | CIP 14.1201In Minnesota → | 6 | 0.1% | 3 | $57,457 | $24,706 |
| 45 | CIP 26.0502In Minnesota → | 6 | 0.1% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 46 | CIP 52.0210In Minnesota → | 6 | 0.1% | 2 | $43,506 | $25,000 |
| 47 | CIP 26.0702In Minnesota → | 4 | 0.1% | 1 | $28,266 | $24,393 |
| 48 | CIP 27.0599In Minnesota → | 4 | 0.1% | 1 | $59,718 | $20,150 |
| 49 | CIP 40.9999In Minnesota → | 4 | 0.1% | 1 | $47,513 | $24,000 |
| 50 | Biotechnologymain feeder CIP 26.1201In Minnesota → | 3 | 0.1% | 1 | $49,023 | $21,309 |
| 51 | CIP 26.0305In Minnesota → | 3 | 0.1% | 1 | $33,009 | $21,975 |
| 52 | CIP 54.0104In Minnesota → | 3 | 0.1% | 1 | $31,217 | $24,000 |
| 53 | CIP 26.0499In Minnesota → | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 54 | CIP 40.0899In Minnesota → | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | $47,156 | $23,490 |
| 55 | CIP 27.0304In Minnesota → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
| 56 | CIP 30.0801In Minnesota → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $89,651 | $23,175 |
Top 25 schools in Minnesota
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 25 of the 48 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 · 38 feeder programs | 1,627 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $36,136 | 85% | — | 80% |
| 2 | University of Minnesota - Duluth Duluth, MN Public · 12 feeder programs | 326 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,891 | 65% | — | 89% |
| 3 | Carleton College Northfield, MN Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 194 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $30,726 | 90% | $18,669 | 20% |
| 4 | St Olaf College Northfield, MN Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 180 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $36,429 | 84% | $18,124 | 48% |
| 5 | Macalester College Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs | 163 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $35,616 | 87% | $21,441 | 29% |
| 6 | Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN Public · 10 feeder programs | 152 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $37,216 | 54% | — | 88% |
| 7 | University of St Thomas Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 11 feeder programs | 149 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $36,072 | 76% | $28,888 | 85% |
| 8 | Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter, MN Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 137 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,877 | 77% | $21,607 | 61% |
| 9 | Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN Public · 11 feeder programs | 94 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $44,166 | 40% | — | 95% |
| 10 | Winona State University Winona, MN Public · 8 feeder programs | 88 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $38,666 | 57% | — | 75% |
| 11 | Bethel University Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 9 feeder programs | 87 | Physics, General | — | 71% | $25,225 | 88% |
| 12 | Concordia College at Moorhead Moorhead, MN Private not-for-profit · 9 feeder programs | 79 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $30,012 | 61% | $23,425 | 63% |
| 13 | Hamline University Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 10 feeder programs | 74 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $37,382 | 60% | $20,981 | 88% |
| 14 | College of Saint Benedict Saint Joseph, MN Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 70 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $35,800 | 77% | $22,583 | 92% |
| 15 | Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, MN Public · 5 feeder programs | 65 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $42,128 | 44% | — | 99% |
| 16 | The College of Saint Scholastica Duluth, MN Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 59 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $28,195 | 71% | $21,150 | 93% |
| 17 | Augsburg University Minneapolis, MN Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 52 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $35,984 | 52% | $23,585 | 82% |
| 18 | Bemidji State University Bemidji, MN Public · 3 feeder programs | 52 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $37,469 | 48% | — | 56% |
| 19 | Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Rochester, MN Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 52 | Medical Science/Scientist | — | — | — | 39% |
| 20 | University of Minnesota - Morris Morris, MN Public · 6 feeder programs | 48 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $40,415 | 63% | — | 75% |
| 21 | Saint Johns University Collegeville, MN Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 46 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $34,684 | 75% | $19,900 | 91% |
| 22 | St Catherine University Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 45 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $40,937 | 61% | $21,042 | 92% |
| 23 | Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead, MN Public · 9 feeder programs | 40 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $32,422 | 57% | — | 59% |
| 24 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 29 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 66% | $18,163 | 93% |
| 25 | Normandale Community College Bloomington, MN Public · 2 feeder programs | 28 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 27% | — | — |
All 48 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 | 1,627 | 38 |
| University of Minnesota - Duluth | Duluth | Public | 326 | 12 |
| Carleton College | Northfield | Private not-for-profit | 194 | 7 |
| St Olaf College | Northfield | Private not-for-profit | 180 | 4 |
| Macalester College | Saint Paul | Private not-for-profit | 163 | 8 |
| Minnesota State University - Mankato | Mankato | Public | 152 | 10 |
| University of St Thomas | Saint Paul | Private not-for-profit | 149 | 11 |
| Gustavus Adolphus College | Saint Peter | Private not-for-profit | 137 | 7 |
| Saint Cloud State University | Saint Cloud | Public | 94 | 11 |
| Winona State University | Winona | Public | 88 | 8 |
| Bethel University | Saint Paul | Private not-for-profit | 87 | 9 |
| Concordia College at Moorhead | Moorhead | Private not-for-profit | 79 | 9 |
| Hamline University | Saint Paul | Private not-for-profit | 74 | 10 |
| College of Saint Benedict | Saint Joseph | Private not-for-profit | 70 | 6 |
| Metropolitan State University | Saint Paul | Public | 65 | 5 |
What natural sciences managers earn in Minnesota
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $167,220. Minnesota pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
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 Natural Sciences Managers page.
How to become a Natural Sciences Manager
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience needed
- 5 years or more
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 Natural Sciences Managers24 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 14.1201Engineering Physics/Applied Physics
- 14.3701Operations Research
- 26.0101Biology/Biological Sciences, General
- 26.0202Biochemistry
- 26.0203Biophysics
- 26.0204Molecular Biology
- 26.0205Molecular Biochemistry
- 26.0206Molecular Biophysics
- 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
- 26.0399Botany/Plant Biology, Other
- 26.0401Cell/Cellular Biology and Histology
- 26.0403Anatomy
- 26.0406Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
- 26.0499Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other
- 26.0502Microbiology, General
- 26.0503Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology
- 26.0504Virology
- 26.0505Parasitology
Common questions
Answers for people weighing natural sciences managers programs in Minnesota.
What degree do you need to become a Natural Sciences Manager?+
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, 34.6% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Natural Sciences Manager?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 56 programs to this occupation. The largest are Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biochemistry, plus 32 more. Together they graduate about 4,164 people a year in Minnesota.
How much do natural sciences managers earn in Minnesota?+
The median is $136,450 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 18.4% below the U.S. median of $167,220. 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 natural sciences managers growing?+
BLS projects a +3.7% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 8,500 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Minnesota?+
48 institutions in Minnesota reported graduates from at least one of the 56 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 natural sciences managers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Research Coordinator, Clinical Trial Manager, Water Resources Planner, Clinical Program Manager, Natural Sciences Manager, Clinical Research Coordinator among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 11-9121.
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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