Biology Major — med and non-med career paths

Most biology majors aim for med school. Half don't get in. Here's what the other career paths actually look like.

Career fit for biology majors →

What you'll study

Cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, ecology, evolution, physiology, and typically a specialisation.

Med school path

  • MCAT prep in undergrad years 2-3
  • US med school: 4 years + 3-7 years residency
  • India: NEET (Class 12), MBBS 5.5 years, MD/MS 3 years
  • Typical practicing physician: $220K+ median (US), ₹15-30 LPA (India specialist)

Non-med paths

  • Biotech researcher — $90K median (industry)
  • Pharma sales / medical affairs — $85-130K median
  • Clinical research associate — $75K median
  • Data scientist (bio / clinical) — $110K median
  • Genetic counsellor — $85K median (requires masters)
  • Science communicator / writer — $70K median

Frequently asked questions

What percentage of pre-med students get into med school?

US: ~40% of first-time applicants get in somewhere. India: ~5% of NEET takers secure a government MBBS seat.

Careers this major opens

The US Department of Education maps Biology/Biological Sciences, General (CIP 26.0101) to 9 Standard Occupational Classification codes. Salary and employment figures come from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics via O*NET; the AI-durability signal is our own composite score.

Median salary (US)
$67,440
across 9 careers
Salary range
$44,850 – $154,320
p10 → p90 across careers
Avg AI exposure
0.46
0% high-exposure (0-1 scale)
Career Median Employment AI
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
SOC 25-2031
 $64,580 1,094,500 0.41
Natural sciences managers
SOC 11-9121
 $161,180 104,300 0.60
Biological technicians
SOC 19-4021
 $52,000 82,700 0.57
Biological science teachers, postsecondary
SOC 25-1042
 $83,460 66,000 0.35
Biological Scientists, All Other
SOC 19-1029
 $93,330 63,700 0.48
Forensic science technicians
SOC 19-4092
 $67,440 20,700 0.48
Food science technicians
SOC 19-4013
 $49,430 20,400 0.45
Agricultural technicians
SOC 19-4012
 $46,790 18,600 0.32
Life scientists, all other
SOC 19-1099
 $87,800 7,800 0.49

Sources: NCES CIP-2020 → SOC-2018 crosswalk · US Bureau of Labor Statistics (via O*NET) · WhatTNext Ai AI-durability score. Careers ranked by US employment volume.

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