Best institutions to study Bioethics/Medical Ethics
A program that focuses on the application of ethics, religion, jurisprudence, and the social sciences to the analysis of health care issues, clinical decision making, and research procedures.
49 U.S. institutions graduated 779 Bioethics/Medical Ethics students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 51.3201, a specialization of Health Professions Education (CIP 51.32), and leads most directly to the Directors, Religious Activities and Education occupation (BLS SOC 21-2021).
About Bioethics/Medical Ethics programs
A program that focuses on the application of ethics, religion, jurisprudence, and the social sciences to the analysis of health care issues, clinical decision making, and research procedures. Includes instruction in philosophical ethics, moral value, medical sociology, theology, spirituality and health, policy analysis, decision theory, and applications to problems such as death and dying, therapeutic relationships, organ transplantation, human and animal subjects, reproduction and fertility, health care justice, cultural sensitivity, needs assessment, professionalism, conflict of interest, chaplaincy, and clinical or emergency procedures.
See also: 38.0104 - Applied and Professional Ethics.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Bioethics/Medical Ethics program, part of Health Professions Education, focuses on applying ethics, religion, jurisprudence, and social sciences to analyze healthcare issues and clinical decision-making. This program is designed for individuals interested in exploring the ethical dimensions of health care, including topics such as organ transplantation, health care justice, and therapeutic relationships.
Students will gain knowledge in philosophical ethics, moral values, and medical sociology, along with developing skills in critical thinking, active listening, and effective communication. Coursework may cover areas such as policy analysis, decision theory, and cultural sensitivity.
Credentials awarded
What Bioethics/Medical Ethics graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Master's degree449 graduates / yr · 31 institutions58%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate119 graduates / yr · 18 institutions15%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year87 graduates / yr · 6 institutions11%
- Bachelor's degree65 graduates / yr · 6 institutions8.3%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship36 graduates / yr · 3 institutions4.6%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years15 graduates / yr · 1 institution1.9%
- Post-master's certificate6 graduates / yr · 3 institutions0.8%
- Doctor's degree - other2 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.3%
Graduates over time
Bioethics/Medical Ethics completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 301 |
| 2013 | 339 |
| 2014 | 375 |
| 2015 | 449 |
| 2016 | 457 |
| 2017 | 472 |
| 2018 | 528 |
| 2019 | 583 |
| 2020 | 593 |
| 2021 | 634 |
| 2022 | 690 |
| 2023 | 698 |
| 2024 | 732 |
| 2025 | 779 |
Top 49 institutions for Bioethics/Medical Ethics, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard University Cambridge, MAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 92 | 98% | $15,013 |
| 2 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OHPublicMaster'sPost-degree cert.Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 51 | 88% | — |
| 3 | Oregon State University Corvallis, ORPublicPost-degree cert. | 48 | 70% | — |
| 4 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 42 | 97% | $22,055 |
| 5 | Baylor University Waco, TXPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 40 | 80% | $35,682 |
| 6 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 38 | 73% | $33,454 |
| 7 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 36 | 96% | $15,315 |
| 8 | Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OHPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 33 | 87% | $27,976 |
| 9 | University of Richmond University of Richmond, VAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 27 | 85% | $24,049 |
| 10 | Rhodes College Memphis, TNPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sPost-degree cert. | 26 | 85% | $19,854 |
| 11 | Duke University Durham, NCPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 24 | 97% | $16,260 |
| 12 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MDPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 23 | 94% | $11,888 |
| 13 | Kansas City University Kansas City, MOPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 23 | — | — |
| 14 | Temple University Philadelphia, PAPublicMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 23 | 75% | — |
| 15 | Albert Einstein College of Medicine Bronx, NYPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert.Master's | 21 | — | — |
| 16 | Northeast Ohio Medical University Rootstown, OHPublicMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 19 | — | — |
| 17 | Cleveland State University Cleveland, OHPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 18 | 51% | — |
| 18 | Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralMaster's | 16 | 77% | $32,060 |
| 19 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OHPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 15 | 75% | — |
| 20 | Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MOPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sDoctoral | 14 | 80% | $24,886 |
| 21 | Loma Linda University Loma Linda, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 12 | — | — |
| 22 | University of Mary Bismarck, NDPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 12 | 67% | $16,753 |
| 23 | Emory University Atlanta, GAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 11 | 91% | $20,586 |
| 24 | Clarkson University Potsdam, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 11 | 75% | $27,281 |
| 25 | Idaho State University Pocatello, IDPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 10 | 39% | — |
| 26 | Trinity International University - Illinois Deerfield, ILPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 9 | 46% | $20,539 |
| 27 | Creighton University Omaha, NEPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert.Master's | 7 | 83% | $27,353 |
| 28 | University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearMaster's | 7 | 85% | — |
| 29 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TXPublicMaster's | 7 | 51% | — |
| 30 | Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Erie, PAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 7 | — | — |
| 31 | Northwestern University Evanston, ILPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 6 | 95% | $14,799 |
| 32 | Albany Medical College Albany, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoral | 5 | — | — |
| 33 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NCPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 5 | 89% | $20,914 |
| 34 | Juniata College Huntingdon, PAPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 5 | 74% | $24,867 |
| 35 | Augusta University Augusta, GAPublicPost-degree cert. | 5 | 49% | — |
| 36 | Hofstra University Hempstead, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 4 | 69% | $34,539 |
| 37 | University of South Dakota Vermillion, SDPublicPost-degree cert. | 4 | 60% | — |
| 38 | University of Rochester Rochester, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 3 | 85% | $25,874 |
| 39 | Yeshiva University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 3 | 83% | $39,696 |
| 40 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZPublicPost-degree cert.Master's | 2 | 68% | — |
| 41 | Georgetown University Washington, DCPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 2 | 95% | $22,242 |
| 42 | DePaul University Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 2 | 68% | $28,141 |
| 43 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MAPublicPost-degree cert. | 2 | 83% | — |
| 44 | College of Our Lady of the Elms Chicopee, MAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 2 | 68% | $21,982 |
| 45 | New York Medical College Valhalla, NYPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert.Master's | 2 | — | — |
| 46 | Houston Christian University Houston, TXPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 49% | $21,247 |
| 47 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FLPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 84% | $26,589 |
| 48 | Concordia University - Wisconsin Mequon, WIPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 1 | 68% | $24,409 |
| 49 | Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WIPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 1 | — | — |
Offered in 22 states
Where Bioethics/Medical Ethics graduates come from. Each state links to all Health Professions Education programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 5 | 136 | Ohio State University - Main Campus51 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 6 | 100 | University of Pennsylvania42 / yr |
| Massachusetts | 3 | 96 | Harvard University92 / yr |
| New York | 8 | 85 | Columbia University in the City of New York36 / yr |
| Illinois | 4 | 55 | Loyola University Chicago38 / yr |
| Texas | 3 | 49 | Baylor University40 / yr |
| Oregon | 1 | 48 | Oregon State University48 / yr |
| Missouri | 2 | 37 | Kansas City University23 / yr |
| North Carolina | 2 | 29 | Duke University24 / yr |
| Virginia | 1 | 27 | University of Richmond27 / yr |
| Tennessee | 1 | 26 | Rhodes College26 / yr |
| Maryland | 1 | 23 | Johns Hopkins University23 / yr |
| Georgia | 2 | 16 | Emory University11 / yr |
| California | 1 | 12 | Loma Linda University12 / yr |
| North Dakota | 1 | 12 | University of Mary12 / yr |
| Idaho | 1 | 10 | Idaho State University10 / yr |
| Nebraska | 1 | 7 | Creighton University7 / yr |
| South Dakota | 1 | 4 | University of South Dakota4 / yr |
| Wisconsin | 2 | 2 | Concordia University - Wisconsin1 / yr |
| Arizona | 1 | 2 | University of Arizona2 / yr |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 2 | Georgetown University2 / yr |
| Florida | 1 | 1 | University of Miami1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 21-2021, Directors, Religious Activities and Education, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Bioethics/Medical Ethics program can pursue various careers, including roles as Directors of Religious Activities and Education. The job outlook for related occupations is about as fast as average, with an annual growth of 2.1% and approximately 13,800 annual openings. The median wage for these positions is $54,840, typically requiring a Bachelor’s degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 51.3201
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Directors, Religious Activities and Educationprimary SOC 21-2021 | $52,100 | +2.1% About as fast as average | ~13,800 | Bachelor's degree |
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other SOC 29-9099 | $65,790 | +3.6% About as fast as average | ~2,600 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1126 | $80,260 | +0.7% Little or no change | ~2,000 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- 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.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Bioethics/Medical Ethics 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
- Develop or direct study courses or religious education programs within congregations.
- Identify and recruit potential volunteer workers.
- Select appropriate curricula or class structures for educational programs.
- Schedule special events, such as camps, conferences, meetings, seminars, or retreats.
- Counsel individuals regarding interpersonal, health, financial, or religious problems.
- Collaborate with other ministry members to establish goals and objectives for religious education programs or to develop ways to encourage program participation.
Tools and technology used
Other Health Professions Education specializations
The 6 other 6-digit CIP codes under Health Professions Education (CIP 51.32).
- Nursing EducationCIP 51.32033,970 graduates / yr161 institutions
- Medical/CIP 51.3204
Health Humanities 415 graduates / yr31 institutions - Health Professions EducationCIP 51.3202141 graduates / yr18 institutions
- Health Professions Education, Ethics, and HumanitiesCIP 51.3299partial data138 graduates / yr3 institutions
- Arts in Medicine/CIP 51.3206
Health limited data6 graduates / yr1 institutions
Show 1 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- History of Medicine51.3205
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Master's degree, Postbaccalaureate certificate, or a Bachelor's degree.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, active listening, and effective communication.
What careers can I pursue after graduation?+
You can become a Director of Religious Activities, among other roles in healthcare and education.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with a growth rate of 2.1% and 13,800 annual openings.
What is the CIP code for Bioethics/Medical Ethics?+
Bioethics/Medical Ethics is CIP 51.3201 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Health Professions Education (CIP 51.32). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the application of ethics, religion, jurisprudence, and the social sciences to the analysis of health care issues, clinical decision making, and research procedures. Includes instruction in philosophical ethics, moral value, medical sociology, theology, spirituality and health, policy analysis, decision theory, and applications to problems such as death and dying, therapeutic relationships, organ transplantation, human and animal subjects, reproduction and fertility, health care justice, cultural sensitivity, needs assessment, professionalism, conflict of interest, chaplaincy, and clinical or emergency procedures.
How many institutions offer Bioethics/Medical Ethics programs?+
49 U.S. institutions reported Bioethics/Medical Ethics graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 22 states, awarding 779 credentials in the year. That is 14.3% of all Health Professions Education graduates.
How much do Bioethics/Medical Ethics graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Directors, Religious Activities and Education occupation, which Bioethics/Medical Ethics most directly leads to, pays a median of $52,100 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
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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