Best Natural Sciences Manager programs in Pennsylvania, ranked by enrollment
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these.
115 schools in Pennsylvania run programs that feed this job, graduating 14,108 people a year. The job pays a median of $137,900 in Pennsylvania across about 7,980 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Pennsylvania that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
93 programs in Pennsylvania that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Pennsylvania (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 Pennsylvania page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 26.0101In Pennsylvania → | 3,801 | 26.9% | 104 | $32,152 | $25,000 |
| 2 | CIP 30.7001In Pennsylvania → | 1,366 | 9.7% | 20 | — | — |
| 3 | CIP 27.0101In Pennsylvania → | 861 | 6.1% | 76 | $48,772 | $21,544 |
| 4 | CIP 40.0501In Pennsylvania → | 832 | 5.9% | 78 | $42,620 | $23,900 |
| 5 | CIP 26.1501In Pennsylvania → | 825 | 5.8% | 36 | $31,687 | $22,936 |
| 6 | CIP 26.0202In Pennsylvania → | 571 | 4.0% | 50 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 7 | CIP 26.9999In Pennsylvania → | 521 | 3.7% | 10 | $31,278 | $23,000 |
| 8 | CIP 27.0501In Pennsylvania → | 494 | 3.5% | 11 | $59,718 | $20,150 |
| 9 | CIP 40.0801In Pennsylvania → | 490 | 3.5% | 44 | $47,156 | $23,490 |
| 10 | Biological and Physical Sciencesmain feeder CIP 30.0101In Pennsylvania → | 390 | 2.8% | 14 | $28,446 | $11,000 |
| 11 | CIP 27.0305In Pennsylvania → | 334 | 2.4% | 12 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
| 12 | CIP 40.0601In Pennsylvania → | 281 | 2.0% | 21 | $39,678 | $24,864 |
| 13 | CIP 30.3001In Pennsylvania → | 270 | 1.9% | 7 | $50,745 | $27,000 |
| 14 | CIP 30.3301In Pennsylvania → | 227 | 1.6% | 18 | $37,223 | $20,968 |
| 15 | CIP 27.0304In Pennsylvania → | 190 | 1.3% | 4 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
| 16 | CIP 30.1901In Pennsylvania → | 179 | 1.3% | 9 | $30,508 | $24,586 |
| 17 | Biotechnologymain feeder CIP 26.1201In Pennsylvania → | 162 | 1.1% | 13 | $49,023 | $21,309 |
| 18 | CIP 40.0401In Pennsylvania → | 143 | 1.0% | 4 | $41,430 | $25,500 |
| 19 | CIP 30.2501In Pennsylvania → | 127 | 0.9% | 5 | $41,362 | $17,750 |
| 20 | CIP 40.0699In Pennsylvania → | 115 | 0.8% | 9 | $39,678 | $24,864 |
| 21 | CIP 27.9999In Pennsylvania → | 107 | 0.8% | 4 | $59,063 | $21,500 |
| 22 | CIP 26.0210In Pennsylvania → | 100 | 0.7% | 8 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 23 | Physical Sciences, Generalmain feeder CIP 40.0101In Pennsylvania → | 97 | 0.7% | 8 | $27,007 | $9,000 |
| 24 | CIP 26.0204In Pennsylvania → | 86 | 0.6% | 6 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 25 | CIP 27.0301In Pennsylvania → | 83 | 0.6% | 12 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
| 26 | CIP 26.1104In Pennsylvania → | 82 | 0.6% | 3 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 27 | CIP 51.1401In Pennsylvania → | 82 | 0.6% | 3 | $223,926 | $16,250 |
| 28 | CIP 26.0807In Pennsylvania → | 65 | 0.5% | 2 | $31,800 | $21,424 |
| 29 | CIP 26.0406In Pennsylvania → | 64 | 0.5% | 4 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 30 | CIP 51.2006In Pennsylvania → | 64 | 0.5% | 2 | $48,728 | $23,761 |
| 31 | CIP 26.1102In Pennsylvania → | 60 | 0.4% | 5 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 32 | CIP 26.0503In Pennsylvania → | 59 | 0.4% | 3 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 33 | CIP 30.4401In Pennsylvania → | 58 | 0.4% | 2 | — | — |
| 34 | CIP 26.0508In Pennsylvania → | 54 | 0.4% | 2 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 35 | CIP 40.0201In Pennsylvania → | 54 | 0.4% | 6 | $39,728 | $24,678 |
| 36 | Natural Sciencesmain feeder CIP 30.1801In Pennsylvania → | 52 | 0.4% | 6 | $29,587 | $21,610 |
| 37 | CIP 26.0502In Pennsylvania → | 51 | 0.4% | 4 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 38 | CIP 26.1001In Pennsylvania → | 48 | 0.3% | 3 | $39,202 | $18,000 |
| 39 | CIP 27.0303In Pennsylvania → | 38 | 0.3% | 2 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
| 40 | CIP 26.1310In Pennsylvania → | 32 | 0.2% | 3 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 41 | CIP 54.0104In Pennsylvania → | 31 | 0.2% | 2 | $31,217 | $24,000 |
| 42 | CIP 30.4901In Pennsylvania → | 30 | 0.2% | 2 | — | — |
| 43 | CIP 26.1301In Pennsylvania → | 29 | 0.2% | 3 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 44 | CIP 26.1101In Pennsylvania → | 26 | 0.2% | 1 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 45 | CIP 27.0599In Pennsylvania → | 25 | 0.2% | 3 | $59,718 | $20,150 |
| 46 | CIP 40.0202In Pennsylvania → | 24 | 0.2% | 6 | $39,728 | $24,678 |
| 47 | CIP 30.0801In Pennsylvania → | 23 | 0.2% | 4 | $89,651 | $23,175 |
| 48 | CIP 30.3401In Pennsylvania → | 23 | 0.2% | 1 | — | — |
| 49 | CIP 40.0510In Pennsylvania → | 23 | 0.2% | 6 | $42,620 | $23,900 |
| 50 | CIP 26.1004In Pennsylvania → | 21 | 0.1% | 1 | $39,202 | $18,000 |
| 51 | CIP 40.0809In Pennsylvania → | 21 | 0.1% | 2 | $47,156 | $23,490 |
| 52 | CIP 26.0701In Pennsylvania → | 19 | 0.1% | 1 | $28,266 | $24,393 |
| 53 | CIP 40.0810In Pennsylvania → | 17 | 0.1% | 2 | $47,156 | $23,490 |
| 54 | Science, Technology and Societymain feeder CIP 30.1501In Pennsylvania → | 16 | 0.1% | 2 | $44,736 | $18,593 |
| 55 | CIP 26.0507In Pennsylvania → | 16 | 0.1% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 56 | CIP 26.1503In Pennsylvania → | 15 | 0.1% | 2 | $31,687 | $22,936 |
| 57 | CIP 40.0899In Pennsylvania → | 15 | 0.1% | 3 | $47,156 | $23,490 |
| 58 | CIP 30.1001In Pennsylvania → | 14 | 0.1% | 5 | $43,343 | $22,125 |
| 59 | CIP 26.0499In Pennsylvania → | 13 | 0.1% | 1 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 60 | CIP 26.1199In Pennsylvania → | 13 | 0.1% | 2 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 61 | CIP 27.0601In Pennsylvania → | 12 | 0.1% | 2 | — | — |
| 62 | CIP 38.0102In Pennsylvania → | 12 | 0.1% | 1 | $31,618 | $22,862 |
| 63 | CIP 40.0607In Pennsylvania → | 11 | 0.1% | 1 | $39,678 | $24,864 |
| 64 | CIP 26.0203In Pennsylvania → | 10 | 0.1% | 4 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 65 | CIP 26.0910In Pennsylvania → | 10 | 0.1% | 2 | $31,146 | $23,384 |
| 66 | CIP 26.1599In Pennsylvania → | 10 | 0.1% | 3 | $31,687 | $22,936 |
| 67 | CIP 40.0599In Pennsylvania → | 9 | 0.1% | 3 | $42,620 | $23,900 |
| 68 | CIP 26.0702In Pennsylvania → | 8 | 0.1% | 1 | $28,266 | $24,393 |
| 69 | CIP 26.1302In Pennsylvania → | 8 | 0.1% | 2 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 70 | CIP 52.0216In Pennsylvania → | 8 | 0.1% | 2 | $43,506 | $25,000 |
| 71 | CIP 26.0299In Pennsylvania → | 7 | 0.0% | 1 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 72 | CIP 26.1311In Pennsylvania → | 7 | 0.0% | 1 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 73 | CIP 27.0103In Pennsylvania → | 7 | 0.0% | 1 | $48,772 | $21,544 |
| 74 | CIP 14.1201In Pennsylvania → | 6 | 0.0% | 2 | $57,457 | $24,706 |
| 75 | CIP 26.0305In Pennsylvania → | 6 | 0.0% | 1 | $33,009 | $21,975 |
| 76 | CIP 27.0503In Pennsylvania → | 6 | 0.0% | 2 | $59,718 | $20,150 |
| 77 | CIP 26.0802In Pennsylvania → | 5 | 0.0% | 2 | $31,800 | $21,424 |
| 78 | CIP 40.0502In Pennsylvania → | 5 | 0.0% | 1 | $42,620 | $23,900 |
| 79 | CIP 40.1099In Pennsylvania → | 5 | 0.0% | 1 | $72,216 | $24,750 |
| 80 | CIP 26.0206In Pennsylvania → | 4 | 0.0% | 1 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 81 | CIP 26.0403In Pennsylvania → | 4 | 0.0% | 1 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 82 | CIP 14.3701In Pennsylvania → | 3 | 0.0% | 1 | $92,531 | $15,000 |
| 83 | CIP 26.0707In Pennsylvania → | 3 | 0.0% | 1 | $28,266 | $24,393 |
| 84 | CIP 27.0399In Pennsylvania → | 3 | 0.0% | 1 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
| 85 | CIP 27.0199In Pennsylvania → | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | $48,772 | $21,544 |
| 86 | CIP 26.1399In Pennsylvania → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 87 | CIP 27.0306In Pennsylvania → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $60,930 | $21,143 |
| 88 | CIP 30.7099In Pennsylvania → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | — | — |
| 89 | CIP 40.0499In Pennsylvania → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $41,430 | $25,500 |
| 90 | CIP 40.0509In Pennsylvania → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $42,620 | $23,900 |
| 91 | CIP 40.0605In Pennsylvania → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $39,678 | $24,864 |
| 92 | CIP 40.0807In Pennsylvania → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $47,156 | $23,490 |
| 93 | CIP 40.9999In Pennsylvania → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $47,513 | $24,000 |
Top 25 schools in Pennsylvania
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 51 of the 115 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PA Public · 31 feeder programs | 1,969 | Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | $35,324 | 86% | — | 61% |
| 2 | University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA Public · 33 feeder programs | 1,583 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $33,576 | 85% | — | 58% |
| 3 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 29 feeder programs | 1,196 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,055 | 97% | $22,055 | 5% |
| 4 | Eastern University Saint Davids, PA Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 938 | Data Science, General | — | 54% | $25,146 | 91% |
| 5 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · 28 feeder programs | 777 | Statistics, General | $93,111 | 94% | $23,803 | 12% |
| 6 | Temple University Philadelphia, PA Public · 23 feeder programs | 613 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $35,101 | 75% | — | 80% |
| 7 | Drexel University Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 18 feeder programs | 514 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $37,699 | 78% | $36,004 | 79% |
| 8 | Villanova University Villanova, PA Private not-for-profit · 10 feeder programs | 319 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,818 | 92% | $33,774 | 27% |
| 9 | Pennsylvania State University - World Campus University Park, PA Public · 13 feeder programs | 283 | Statistics, General | $68,254 | 34% | — | 91% |
| 10 | Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA Private not-for-profit · 16 feeder programs | 255 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $45,695 | 88% | $26,912 | 26% |
| 11 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester, PA Public · 10 feeder programs | 214 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 71% | — | 78% |
| 12 | Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Harrisburg, PA Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 213 | Computational and Applied Mathematics | — | 34% | $14,140 | 87% |
| 13 | Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · 11 feeder programs | 200 | Financial Mathematics | — | 77% | $32,060 | 84% |
| 14 | Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 12 feeder programs | 195 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 69% | $26,034 | 81% |
| 15 | Lafayette College Easton, PA Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs | 173 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $41,885 | 88% | $20,396 | 31% |
| 16 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 12 feeder programs | 162 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $33,767 | 79% | $34,418 | 89% |
| 17 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg, PA Public · 7 feeder programs | 157 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,776 | 54% | — | 93% |
| 18 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, PA Public · 10 feeder programs | 151 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,928 | 56% | — | 91% |
| 19 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania Millersville, PA Public · 6 feeder programs | 139 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $38,990 | 58% | — | 86% |
| 20 | Pennsylvania Western University California, PA Public · 10 feeder programs | 137 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $35,309 | 52% | — | 94% |
| 21 | Haverford College Haverford, PA Private not-for-profit · 12 feeder programs | 130 | Chemistry, General | — | 90% | $17,179 | 12% |
| 22 | University of Scranton Scranton, PA Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 129 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,251 | 80% | $25,834 | 81% |
| 23 | Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs | 123 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $38,765 | 86% | $30,675 | 29% |
| 24 | Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA Private not-for-profit · 12 feeder programs | 113 | Mathematics, General | $72,656 | 92% | $18,174 | 7% |
| 25 | Allegheny College Meadville, PA Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs | 111 | Sustainability Studies | — | 73% | $18,524 | 55% |
All 115 schools in Pennsylvania
Every school in Pennsylvania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus | University Park | Public | 1,969 | 31 |
| University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus | Pittsburgh | Public | 1,583 | 33 |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Private not-for-profit | 1,196 | 29 |
| Eastern University | Saint Davids | Private not-for-profit | 938 | 5 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh | Private not-for-profit | 777 | 28 |
| Temple University | Philadelphia | Public | 613 | 23 |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia | Private not-for-profit | 514 | 18 |
| Villanova University | Villanova | Private not-for-profit | 319 | 10 |
| Pennsylvania State University - World Campus | University Park | Public | 283 | 13 |
| Lehigh University | Bethlehem | Private not-for-profit | 255 | 16 |
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania | West Chester | Public | 214 | 10 |
| Harrisburg University of Science and Technology | Harrisburg | Private not-for-profit | 213 | 5 |
| Duquesne University | Pittsburgh | Private not-for-profit | 200 | 11 |
| Thomas Jefferson University | Philadelphia | Private not-for-profit | 195 | 12 |
| Lafayette College | Easton | Private not-for-profit | 173 | 8 |
What natural sciences managers earn in Pennsylvania
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $167,220. Pennsylvania pays below the national figure.
Concentrated here: Pennsylvania employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Metro areas in Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania.
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 3,801 degrees in Pennsylvania in 2024-25, 26.9% 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 93 programs to this occupation. The largest are Biology, Data Science, Mathematics, Chemistry, plus 43 more. Together they graduate about 14,108 people a year in Pennsylvania.
How much do natural sciences managers earn in Pennsylvania?+
The median is $137,900 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 17.5% 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 Pennsylvania?+
115 institutions in Pennsylvania reported graduates from at least one of the 93 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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