Best institutions to study Mathematical Biology
A program that focuses on the application of mathematics to genomics, molecular modeling, structural biology, ecology, evolutionary biology and systems of analysis of neurobiology, physiology, and metabolism.
4 U.S. institutions graduated 14 Mathematical Biology students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 27.0306, a specialization of Applied Mathematics (CIP 27.03), and leads most directly to the Mathematicians occupation (BLS SOC 15-2021).
About Mathematical Biology programs
A program that focuses on the application of mathematics to genomics, molecular modeling, structural biology, ecology, evolutionary biology and systems of analysis of neurobiology, physiology, and metabolism. Includes instruction in computational mathematics, chaos and nonlinear systems, perturbation methods, evolutionary biology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and neurobiology.
See also: 26.1101 - Biometry/Biometrics.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Mathematical Biology program, part of the Applied Mathematics field, focuses on the application of mathematical techniques to biological systems. This interdisciplinary approach is ideal for students interested in exploring areas such as genomics, molecular modeling, ecology, and neurobiology through mathematical frameworks.
Students in this program will gain core skills in mathematics, critical thinking, and computational techniques. Coursework typically includes subjects like chaos and nonlinear systems, bioinformatics, and evolutionary biology, equipping graduates with a solid foundation for analyzing complex biological data.
Credentials awarded
What Mathematical Biology graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree14 graduates / yr · 4 institutions100%
Graduates over time
Mathematical Biology completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 19 |
| 2015 | 21 |
| 2016 | 21 |
| 2017 | 30 |
| 2018 | 34 |
| 2019 | 24 |
| 2020 | 22 |
| 2021 | 30 |
| 2022 | 26 |
| 2023 | 34 |
| 2024 | 15 |
| 2025 | 14 |
Top 4 institutions for Mathematical Biology, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Houston Houston, TXPublicBachelor's | 8 | 65% | — | — |
| 2 | University of Idaho Moscow, IDPublicBachelor's | 4 | 57% | — | — |
| 3 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CAPublicBachelor's | 1 | 86% | — | $42,859 |
| 4 | University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PAPublicBachelor's | 1 | 85% | — | $58,358 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Applied Mathematics field (CIP 27.03) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 4 states
Where Mathematical Biology graduates come from. Each state links to all Applied Mathematics programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1 | 8 | University of Houston8 / yr |
| Idaho | 1 | 4 | University of Idaho4 / yr |
| California | 1 | 1 | University of California - San Diego1 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 1 | University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 15-2021, Mathematicians, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Mathematical Biology program can pursue careers as mathematicians, data scientists, or biological scientists. The job outlook shows little or no change, with about 100 annual openings and a median wage of $121,680, typically requiring a master's degree for advancement.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 27.0306
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mathematiciansprimary SOC 15-2021 | $126,710 | -0.7% Little or no change | ~100 | Master's degree |
Data Scientists SOC 15-2051 | $120,230 | +33.5% Much faster than average | ~23,400 | Bachelor's degree |
Natural Sciences Managers SOC 11-9121 | $167,220 | +3.7% About as fast as average | ~8,500 | Bachelor's degree |
Biological Scientists, All Other SOC 19-1029 | $98,920 | +1.2% Little or no change | ~4,800 | Bachelor's degree |
Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1022 | $79,940 | +2.3% About as fast as average | ~4,400 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other SOC 15-2099 | $81,490 | +4.0% About as fast as average | ~300 | Bachelor's degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- 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).
- Experience
- 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.
- Training
- 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.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Mathematical Biology programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Mentor others on mathematical techniques.
- Maintain knowledge in the field by reading professional journals, talking with other mathematicians, and attending professional conferences.
- Develop new principles and new relationships between existing mathematical principles to advance mathematical science.
- Disseminate research by writing reports, publishing papers, or presenting at professional conferences.
- Assemble sets of assumptions, and explore the consequences of each set.
- Perform computations and apply methods of numerical analysis to data.
Tools and technology used
Other Applied Mathematics specializations
The 5 other 6-digit CIP codes under Applied Mathematics (CIP 27.03).
- Financial MathematicsCIP 27.03055,694 graduates / yr127 institutions
- Applied MathematicsCIP 27.03013,917 graduates / yr224 institutions
- Computational and Applied MathematicsCIP 27.0304815 graduates / yr45 institutions
- Computational MathematicsCIP 27.0303389 graduates / yr22 institutions
- Applied MathematicsCIP 27.0399221 graduates / yr18 institutions
Common questions
What degree do I earn?+
You will earn a Bachelor's degree in Mathematical Biology.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in mathematics, critical thinking, and scientific analysis.
What careers can I pursue?+
You can pursue careers as a mathematician, data scientist, or biological scientist.
What is the job outlook?+
The job outlook shows little or no change, with a median wage of $121,680.
What is the CIP code for Mathematical Biology?+
Mathematical Biology is CIP 27.0306 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Applied Mathematics (CIP 27.03). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the application of mathematics to genomics, molecular modeling, structural biology, ecology, evolutionary biology and systems of analysis of neurobiology, physiology, and metabolism. Includes instruction in computational mathematics, chaos and nonlinear systems, perturbation methods, evolutionary biology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and neurobiology.
How many institutions offer Mathematical Biology programs?+
4 U.S. institutions reported Mathematical Biology graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 4 states, awarding 14 credentials in the year. That is 0.1% of all Applied Mathematics graduates.
How much do Mathematical Biology graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Mathematicians occupation, which Mathematical Biology most directly leads to, pays a median of $126,710 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Applied Mathematics field report median earnings of $58,358 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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