Best degree programs for Microbiologists, ranked by enrollment
8 college programs and 164 schools train Microbiologists. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $87,990 median wage, 18,940 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
8 college programs at 164 schools train microbiologists, graduating 3,930 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Microbiology, General. The job pays a median of $87,990 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About microbiologists
Investigate the growth, structure, development, and other characteristics of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, algae, or fungi. Includes medical microbiologists who study the relationship between organisms and disease or the effects of antibiotics on microorganisms.
A microbiologist is a scientist who studies microscopic life forms and processes. This includes study of the growth, interactions and characteristics of microscopic organisms such as bacteria, algae, fungi, and some types of parasites and their vectors. Most microbiologists work in offices and/or research facilities, both in private biotechnology companies and in academia. Most microbiologists specialize in a given topic within microbiology such as bacteriology, parasitology, virology, or immunology.
Read more on Wikipedia →Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
8 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microbiology, Generalmain feeder CIP 26.0502 | 2,497 | 63.5% | 109 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 2 | Microbiology and Immunologymain feeder CIP 26.0508 | 477 | 12.1% | 38 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 3 | CIP 26.0499 | 436 | 11.1% | 20 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 4 | CIP 26.0599 | 248 | 6.3% | 13 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 5 | Immunologymain feeder CIP 26.0507 | 242 | 6.2% | 26 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 6 | CIP 26.0207 | 17 | 0.4% | 2 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 7 | Virologymain feeder CIP 26.0504 | 7 | 0.2% | 3 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 8 | Parasitologymain feeder CIP 26.0505 | 6 | 0.2% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 152 | Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, Other | 93% | — | 9% |
| 2 | National University San Diego, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 130 | Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other | 43% | $31,817 | — |
| 3 | University of California - Davis Davis, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 125 | Microbiology, General | 86% | — | 42% |
| 4 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 104 | Microbiology, General | 81% | $13,712 | 68% |
| 5 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH Public · 3 feeder programs | 102 | Microbiology, General | 88% | — | 61% |
| 6 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 96 | Microbiology, General | 93% | — | 11% |
| 7 | University of Puerto Rico - Arecibo Arecibo, PR Public · 1 feeder programs | 95 | Microbiology, General | 52% | — | 59% |
| 8 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI Public · 1 feeder programs | 91 | Microbiology, General | 90% | — | 45% |
| 9 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA Public · 3 feeder programs | 85 | Microbiology, General | 85% | — | 39% |
| 10 | University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez Mayaguez, PR Public · 1 feeder programs | 77 | Microbiology, General | 49% | — | 57% |
| 11 | University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 74 | Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other | 83% | — | 33% |
| 12 | Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK Public · 1 feeder programs | 69 | Microbiology, General | 68% | — | 75% |
| 13 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MA Public · 1 feeder programs | 66 | Microbiology, General | 83% | — | 60% |
| 14 | Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO Public · 2 feeder programs | 61 | Microbiology, General | 67% | — | 89% |
| 15 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 58 | Microbiology, General | 86% | — | 27% |
| 16 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 58 | Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other | 92% | $26,873 | 10% |
| 17 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 57 | Microbiology, General | 68% | — | 90% |
| 18 | Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 55 | Microbiology, General | 69% | — | 73% |
| 19 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 54 | Microbiology and Immunology | 84% | $26,589 | 19% |
| 20 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Public · 4 feeder programs | 54 | Microbiology, General | 93% | — | 16% |
| 21 | University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA Public · 2 feeder programs | 54 | Microbiology, General | 85% | — | 58% |
| 22 | Clemson University Clemson, SC Public · 1 feeder programs | 51 | Microbiology, General | 87% | — | 38% |
| 23 | Weber State University Ogden, UT Public · 1 feeder programs | 51 | Microbiology, General | 46% | — | — |
| 24 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 50 | Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other | 95% | $14,799 | 8% |
| 25 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 49 | Microbiology, General | 81% | — | 85% |
| 26 | University of Georgia Athens, GA Public · 2 feeder programs | 49 | Microbiology, General | 90% | — | 38% |
| 27 | Drexel University Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 48 | Microbiology and Immunology | 78% | $36,004 | 79% |
| 28 | The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 44 | Microbiology and Immunology | 53% | — | 87% |
| 29 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 43 | Microbiology, General | 85% | — | 42% |
| 30 | University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 43 | Microbiology, General | 76% | — | 76% |
| 31 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA Public · 2 feeder programs | 42 | Microbiology, General | 75% | — | 84% |
| 32 | Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN Public · 2 feeder programs | 41 | Microbiology, General | 80% | — | 78% |
| 33 | Miami University - Oxford Oxford, OH Public · 2 feeder programs | 41 | Microbiology, General | 80% | — | 75% |
| 34 | Oregon State University Corvallis, OR Public · 1 feeder programs | 39 | Microbiology, General | 70% | — | 77% |
| 35 | Yale University New Haven, CT Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 38 | Immunology | 96% | $27,025 | 4% |
| 36 | University of Puerto Rico - Humacao Humacao, PR Public · 1 feeder programs | 37 | Microbiology, General | 47% | — | 55% |
| 37 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ Public · 2 feeder programs | 36 | Microbiology, General | 68% | — | 86% |
| 38 | University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE Public · 1 feeder programs | 35 | Microbiology, General | 67% | — | 87% |
| 39 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ Public · 2 feeder programs | 33 | Microbiology, General | 84% | — | 58% |
| 40 | Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 33 | Immunology | 94% | $14,126 | 12% |
| 41 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 31 | Microbiology, General | 69% | — | 46% |
| 42 | San Diego State University San Diego, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 31 | Microbiology, General | 76% | — | 36% |
| 43 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WV Public · 2 feeder programs | 31 | Microbiology and Immunology | 65% | — | 89% |
| 44 | University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV Public · 1 feeder programs | 30 | Microbiology and Immunology | 61% | — | 74% |
| 45 | Iowa State University Ames, IA Public · 2 feeder programs | 29 | Microbiology, General | 75% | — | 89% |
| 46 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 29 | Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other | 94% | $11,888 | 6% |
| 47 | University of Oklahoma - Norman Campus Norman, OK Public · 1 feeder programs | 29 | Microbiology, General | 75% | — | 77% |
| 48 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 28 | Microbiology and Immunology | 87% | — | 29% |
| 49 | University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL Public · 2 feeder programs | 27 | Immunology | 64% | — | 88% |
| 50 | University of Kansas Lawrence, KS Public · 1 feeder programs | 27 | Microbiology, General | 69% | — | 93% |
What microbiologists earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $108,530 | 2,600 | 1.17× | 19 | 887 |
| Texas | $66,450 | 920 | 0.53× | 13 | 239 |
| Ohio | $72,500 | 530 | 0.78× | 10 | 199 |
| Utahmoderate | $72,600 | 120 | 0.55× | 3 | 157 |
| Pennsylvania | $84,650 | 670 | 0.91× | 6 | 134 |
| Wisconsinmoderate | $67,100 | 420 | 1.18× | 4 | 120 |
| Arizonamoderate | $69,880 | 80 | 0.20× | 3 | 114 |
| Massachusetts | $122,350 | 1,960 | 4.42× | 5 | 114 |
| New York | $81,090 | 1,050 | 0.89× | 11 | 114 |
| Michigan | $78,680 | 370 | 0.68× | 5 | 112 |
| Illinois | $92,050 | 1,470 | 1.98× | 7 | 107 |
| Washingtonlimited | $77,690 | 340 | 0.79× | 2 | 100 |
| Coloradolimited | $81,640 | 370 | 1.07× | 2 | 81 |
| Iowalimited | $79,830 | 180 | 0.95× | 2 | 71 |
| Indianamoderate | $77,900 | 150 | 0.38× | 3 | 67 |
| South Carolinalimited | $64,740 | 100 | 0.34× | 2 | 57 |
| Georgialimited | $103,070 | 880 | 1.48× | 2 | 55 |
| Floridalimited | $80,930 | 270 | 0.22× | 1 | 54 |
| Missourimoderate | $78,590 | 140 | 0.38× | 3 | 53 |
| North Carolinamoderate | $85,860 | 1,050 | 1.75× | 3 | 51 |
| Virginialimited | $77,820 | 280 | 0.56× | 2 | 47 |
| Kansaslimited | $70,500 | 120 | 0.70× | 2 | 45 |
| Connecticutmoderate | $86,360 | 180 | 0.88× | 3 | 43 |
| Oregonlimited | $89,220 | 170 | 0.72× | 2 | 41 |
| Nebraskalimited | $72,470 | 90 | 0.70× | 2 | 38 |
| New Jerseymoderate | $96,020 | 790 | 1.51× | 3 | 38 |
| Alabamamoderate | $65,690 | 110 | 0.44× | 3 | 37 |
| Marylandlimited | $108,470 | 1,590 | 4.72× | 2 | 33 |
| West Virginialimited | $68,550 | 40 | 0.43× | 1 | 31 |
| Nevadalimited | $64,490 | 110 | 0.58× | 1 | 30 |
| Idaholimited | $65,940 | 70 | 0.66× | 2 | 25 |
| Minnesotalimited | $83,400 | 290 | 0.80× | 2 | 25 |
| New Hampshirelimited | $79,430 | 170 | 2.06× | 1 | 24 |
| Tennesseelimited | $77,630 | 210 | 0.52× | 2 | 22 |
| Mainelimited | — | 30 | 0.41× | 1 | 21 |
| Hawaiilimited | $70,970 | 60 | 0.81× | 1 | 13 |
| South Dakotalimited | $70,530 | 80 | 1.52× | 1 | 11 |
| Montanalimited | $87,750 | 80 | 1.35× | 2 | 5 |
| Delawarelimited | $82,770 | 190 | 3.17× | 1 | 4 |
| Kentuckylimited | $66,500 | 80 | 0.32× | 1 | 1 |
| Mississippilimited | $61,690 | — | — | 1 | 1 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Isolate and maintain cultures of bacteria or other microorganisms in prescribed or developed media, controlling moisture, aeration, temperature, and nutrition.
- Provide laboratory services for health departments, community environmental health programs, and physicians needing information for diagnosis and treatment.
- Monitor and perform tests on water, food, and the environment to detect harmful microorganisms or to obtain information about sources of pollution, contamination, or infection.
- Examine physiological, morphological, and cultural characteristics, using microscope, to identify and classify microorganisms in human, water, and food specimens.
- Supervise biological technologists and technicians and other scientists.
- Use a variety of specialized equipment, such as electron microscopes, gas and high-pressure liquid chromatographs, electrophoresis units, thermocyclers, fluorescence-activated cell sorters, and phosphorimagers.
- Investigate the relationship between organisms and disease, including the control of epidemics and the effects of antibiotics on microorganisms.
- Prepare technical reports and recommendations, based upon research outcomes.
Skills
- Science4.6
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Writing4.0
- Active Learning3.9
- Active Listening3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Learning Strategies3.6
Knowledge areas
- Biology4.7
- Chemistry3.8
- English Language3.6
- Computers and Electronics3.6
- Education and Training3.5
- Mathematics3.3
Abilities
- Written Comprehension4.3
- Written Expression4.1
- Inductive Reasoning4.1
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Category Flexibility4.0
- Deductive Reasoning4.0
Core activities
- Working with Computers4.4
- Analyzing Data or Information4.3
- Getting Information4.3
- Documenting/Recording Information4.3
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.2
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.2
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Microbiologist
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 9 majors mapped to Microbiologists8 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 01.1203Soil Microbiology(no graduates reported)
- 26.0207Structural Biology
- 26.0499Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other
- 26.0502Microbiology, General
- 26.0504Virology
- 26.0505Parasitology
- 26.0507Immunology
- 26.0508Microbiology and Immunology
- 26.0599Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, Other
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Microbiologist?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Microbiology, General, which awarded 2,497 degrees in 2024-25, 63.5% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Microbiologist?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 8 programs to this occupation. The largest are Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Biochemistry. Together they graduate about 3,930 people a year.
How much do microbiologists earn?+
The median is $87,990 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $54,670 at the 10th percentile to $150,000 at the 90th. 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 microbiologists growing?+
BLS projects a +4.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 1,700 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
164 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 8 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 microbiologists work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Bacteriologist, Microbiologist, Microbiological Analyst, Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Clinical Lab Scientist) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 19-1022.
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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