Best institutions to study Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
Any instructional program in cell/cellular biology and anatomical sciences not listed above.
20 U.S. institutions graduated 436 Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 26.0499, a specialization of Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences (CIP 26.04), and leads most directly to the Biochemists and Biophysicists occupation (BLS SOC 19-1021).
About Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences programs
Any instructional program in cell/cellular biology and anatomical sciences not listed above.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences program focuses on the study of cells and their functions, structures, and processes. It is designed for students interested in exploring the biological and biomedical sciences, particularly in understanding the mechanisms of living organisms at the cellular level. This program is suitable for those aiming to pursue advanced research or careers in health and science fields.
Students in this program gain essential skills in science, critical thinking, and effective communication. Coursework typically covers biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics, equipping graduates with the knowledge needed to study biological processes and contribute to scientific research.
Credentials awarded
What Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship134 graduates / yr · 12 institutions31%
- Associate's degree130 graduates / yr · 1 institution30%
- Master's degree117 graduates / yr · 14 institutions27%
- Bachelor's degree55 graduates / yr · 2 institutions13%
Graduates over time
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 337 |
| 2013 | 324 |
| 2014 | 379 |
| 2015 | 390 |
| 2016 | 424 |
| 2017 | 404 |
| 2018 | 394 |
| 2019 | 288 |
| 2020 | 290 |
| 2021 | 318 |
| 2022 | 349 |
| 2023 | 282 |
| 2024 | 263 |
| 2025 | 436 |
Top 20 institutions for Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, 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 | National University San Diego, CAPrivate not-for-profitAssociate's | 130 | 43% | $31,817 | — |
| 2 | University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 55 | 83% | — | $38,333 |
| 3 | Northwestern University Evanston, ILPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralMaster's | 50 | 95% | $14,799 | — |
| 4 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoral | 44 | 92% | $26,873 | — |
| 5 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OHPublicDoctoralMaster's | 29 | 88% | — | — |
| 6 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MDPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 26 | 94% | $11,888 | $24,352 |
| 7 | Northeast Ohio Medical University Rootstown, OHPublicMaster's | 17 | — | — | — |
| 8 | Boston University Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralMaster's | 16 | 89% | $21,956 | — |
| 9 | University of Mary Hardin - Baylor Belton, TXPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 15 | 49% | $27,869 | $29,023 |
| 10 | Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralMaster's | 13 | 69% | $26,034 | — |
| 11 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIPublicDoctoralMaster's | 7 | 93% | — | $28,062 |
| 12 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver, COPublicDoctoral | 6 | 46% | — | — |
| 13 | Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, SCPublicDoctoral | 6 | — | — | — |
| 14 | Augusta University Augusta, GAPublicDoctoral | 6 | 49% | — | $21,905 |
| 15 | Miami University - Oxford Oxford, OHPublicDoctoralMaster's | 5 | 80% | — | — |
| 16 | Rowan University Glassboro, NJPublicMaster's | 3 | 67% | — | — |
| 17 | Kent State University at Kent Kent, OHPublicDoctoral | 3 | 64% | — | — |
| 18 | Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 2 | 86% | $33,106 | — |
| 19 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MNPublicMaster's | 2 | 85% | — | $36,532 |
| 20 | University of Massachusetts - Boston Boston, MAPublicMaster's | 1 | 49% | — | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences field (CIP 26.04) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 14 states
Where Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences graduates come from. Each state links to all Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 3 | 229 | National University130 / yr |
| Ohio | 4 | 54 | Ohio State University - Main Campus29 / yr |
| Illinois | 1 | 50 | Northwestern University50 / yr |
| Maryland | 1 | 26 | Johns Hopkins University26 / yr |
| Massachusetts | 2 | 17 | Boston University16 / yr |
| Texas | 1 | 15 | University of Mary Hardin - Baylor15 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 13 | Thomas Jefferson University13 / yr |
| Michigan | 1 | 7 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor7 / yr |
| Colorado | 1 | 6 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus6 / yr |
| South Carolina | 1 | 6 | Medical University of South Carolina6 / yr |
| Georgia | 1 | 6 | Augusta University6 / yr |
| New Jersey | 1 | 3 | Rowan University3 / yr |
| Louisiana | 1 | 2 | Tulane University of Louisiana2 / yr |
| Minnesota | 1 | 2 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities2 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-1021, Biochemists and Biophysicists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences program can pursue careers as biochemists, biophysicists, or biological science teachers. The job outlook is promising, with a growth rate of 5.8% and approximately 2,900 annual openings. The median wage for these roles is $103,650, often requiring a doctoral or professional degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 26.0499
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Biochemists and Biophysicistsprimary SOC 19-1021 | $127,410 | +5.8% Faster than average | ~2,900 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Natural Sciences Managers SOC 11-9121 | $167,220 | +3.7% About as fast as average | ~8,500 | Bachelor's degree |
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1042 | $84,620 | +7.3% Faster than average | ~5,400 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Biological Scientists, All Other SOC 19-1029 | $98,920 | +1.2% Little or no change | ~4,800 | Bachelor's degree |
Microbiologists SOC 19-1022 | $87,990 | +4.1% About as fast as average | ~1,700 | 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 Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences 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
- Share research findings by writing scientific articles or by making presentations at scientific conferences.
- Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research.
- Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy, applying methods and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology.
- Manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work.
- Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes.
- Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research.
Tools and technology used
Other Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences specializations
The 5 other 6-digit CIP codes under Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences (CIP 26.04).
- Cell/CIP 26.0406
Cellular and Molecular Biology 4,454 graduates / yr105 institutions - AnatomyCIP 26.0403902 graduates / yr37 institutions
- Cell/CIP 26.0401
Cellular Biology and Histology 460 graduates / yr21 institutions - Cell Biology and AnatomyCIP 26.0407134 graduates / yr12 institutions
- Developmental Biology and EmbryologyCIP 26.0404103 graduates / yr10 institutions
See all Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences programs →
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn an Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctor's degree in Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in science, critical thinking, reading comprehension, and effective communication.
What careers can I pursue after graduation?+
You can work as a biochemist, biophysicist, or biological science teacher, among other roles.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook is faster than average, with a growth rate of 5.8% and about 2,900 openings each year.
What is the CIP code for Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences?+
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences is CIP 26.0499 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences (CIP 26.04). NCES defines it as: Any instructional program in cell/cellular biology and anatomical sciences not listed above.
How many institutions offer Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences programs?+
20 U.S. institutions reported Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 14 states, awarding 436 credentials in the year. That is 6.7% of all Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences graduates.
How much do Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Biochemists and Biophysicists occupation, which Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences most directly leads to, pays a median of $127,410 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences field report median earnings of $29,023 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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