Biology Careers
Find out what careers you can achieve with a Biology degree from MBU, and how you can get there!
Biology Careers
These are just some of the many careers a Biology BA can prepare you for. Select a career to learn about the job, average salary, employment outlook, required education level, and more.
Research and analysis
- Agricultural and Food Scientist
- Biostatistician
- Biotechnology Consultant
- Climate Change Policy Analyst
- Clinical Data Coordinator
- Computational Biologist
- Conservation Scientist
- Ecologist
- Environmental Economist
- Forensic Science Technician
- Industrial Ecologist
- Microbiologist
- Research Coordinator
- Zoologist
Clinical and medical practice
Use the resources below to find more career profiles on these and hundreds of other jobs you could achieve with a Biology BA.
Career Spotlights
Environmental Scientist
Monitors land and water health, investigates ecological response to pollution, and recommends action to protect environmental and human health.
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Workplaces: Government agencies, non-profit organizations, educational institutions
Median Pay: $80,060/year
Job Outlook: 4% (average)
Microbiologist
Analyzes microorganisms such as bacteria, algae, and fungi to maintain stable environments, develop medicines, and more.
Education: Bachelor’s degree, master’s preferred
Workplaces: Government agencies, research laboratories, educational institutions, pharmaceutical companies
Median Pay: $87,330/year
Job Outlook: 4% (average)
Forensic Science Technician
Aids criminal investigations by collecting, analyzing, and interpreting biological evidence.
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Workplaces: State and federal government agencies, educational institutions, testing laboratories
Median Pay: $67,440/year
Job Outlook: 13% (faster than average)
MBU Alumni Employers
Our Biology majors have gone on to build impactful careers with hospitals and healthcare systems, non-profits, school districts, human resource agencies, marketing firms, and cultural organizations.
- University of Virginia
- Ahold Delhaize USA Corporate Support LLC
- University of Colorado School of Medicine
- Children’s National Health System
- AmeriCorps South Carolina
- National Institutes of Health
- Merck
- Fortrea
- Newport News Shipbuilding
- American Water
- CACI International Inc
- Sentara Healthcare,
- Johns Hopkins Hospital
- Astellas Pharma US
- Virginia Tech
- Hollister Incorporated
- Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Indiana University School of Medicine
- Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority
- Appalachian Conservation Corps
Alumni Story: Jordan Ellis, ’13
Jordan Ellis graduated from Mary Baldwin University with a Health Sciences degree, where a capstone project analyzing patient flow in Virginia hospitals sparked a focus on healthcare operations. “That’s when I saw how much systems design affects patient care,” Jordan says.
Now a Clinical Operations Analyst at a Richmond healthcare technology company, Jordan works with hospitals to streamline admissions and improve care coordination, including projects that reduce discharge delays and improve emergency department throughput.
What’s your path?
MBU offers dozens of complementary minors, majors, clubs and more to enhance your study of biology and put you on the right path to your dream career.
Consider pairing your Biology major with:
A minor in:
- Applied Behavior Analysis & Autism Studies
- Chemistry
- Communication
- Criminal Justice
- Human Resource Management
- Leadership Studies
- Management
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Sociology
A double-major in:
- Applied Behavior Analysis & Autism Studies
- Applied Mathematics
- Clinical Lab Science
- Criminal Justice
- Exercise Science
- Health Sciences
- Mathematics
- Psychology
Build one of these Skill Stacks and gain an edge in the job market:
- Communication
- Leadership
- Data fluency
- Collaboration
- Problem-Solving
Join one of these MBU clubs for connection and networking:
- Chemical Society
- Colleges Against Cancer
- Criminal Justice Club
- Math Club
- Net Impact Environmental Group
- Pre-Med/Health Club
- Psychology Club
- Wilderness Adventure Club
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- American Institute for Biological Sciences
- National Academies of Science
- Beta Kappa Chi Honor Society (natural sciences and mathematics)
- Phi Sigma Honor Society (biological sciences)
Pursue an internship such as:
Consider pairing your Biology major with:
A minor in:
- Applied Behavior Analysis & Autism Studies
- Business
- Chemistry
- Communication
- Healthcare Administration
- Human Resource Management
- Leadership Studies
- Management
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Sociology
A double-major in:
- Applied Behavior Analysis & Autism Studies
- Applied Mathematics
- Business
- Clinical Lab Science
- Exercise Science
- Exercise Science Health Fitness Specialist
- Health Sciences
- Healthcare Administration
- Mathematics
- Public Policy
- Psychology
Build one of these Skill Stacks to gain an edge in the job market:
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Inclusivity
- Collaboration
- Data Fluency
Join one of these MBU clubs or professional organizations for connection and networking:
- Chemical Society
- Colleges Against Cancer
- Criminal Justice Club
- Math Club
- Net Impact Environmental Group
- Pre-Med/Health Club
- Psychology Club
- Wilderness Adventure Club
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- American Institute for Biological Sciences
- National Academies of Science
- Beta Kappa Chi Honor Society (natural sciences and mathematics)
- Phi Sigma Honor Society (biological sciences)
Pursue an internship such as:
Consider one of our outstanding MBU graduate programs:
- *Healthcare Administration (MHA)
- *Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD)
- *Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
- Master of Science in Physician Assistant (MSPA)
*We offer accelerated pathways in these programs. Earn two degrees faster!
Consider pairing your Biology major with:
A minor in:
- Applied Behavior Analysis & Autism Studies
- Business
- Communication
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Healthcare Administration
- Human Resource Management
- Leadership Studies
- Management
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Sports Management
A double-major in:
- Applied Behavior Analysis & Autism Studies
- Business
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Health Sciences
- Healthcare Administration
- Public Policy
- Psychology
- Social Work
Build one of these Skill Stacks and gain an edge in the job market:
- Communication
- Creativity
- Inclusivity
- Collaboration
- Problem-Solving
Join one of these MBU clubs for connection and networking:
- Chemical Society
- Colleges Against Cancer
- Criminal Justice Club
- Math Club
- Net Impact Environmental Group
- Pre-Med/Health Club
- Psychology Club
- Wilderness Adventure Club
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- American Institute for Biological Sciences
- National Academies of Science
- Beta Kappa Chi Honor Society (natural sciences and mathematics)
- Phi Sigma Honor Society (biological sciences)
Pursue an internship such as:
Consider one of our outstanding MBU graduate programs:
- Autism Studies (MA)
- *Applied Behavior Analysis (MS)
*We offer accelerated pathways in these programs. Earn two degrees faster!
What’s it like to be a
Biology student?
To be a biology major at MBU means close-knit classes, strong relationships with professors, and an ever-growing experience in the different facets of science.Mason Rinker
Planning for Graduate School
If you plan to continue your education in biological sciences or are interested in a career that requires a graduate, terminal, or medical degree, thinking about graduate school early can save you a lot of stress in the future. While every graduate program will have its own prerequisites and application requirements, there are consistent elements across them.
Many graduate programs will expect you to take a variety of lab science and math courses, potentially more than are required for the Biology BA or BS. For example, a graduate program may require higher level math beyond the intro calculus and biological statistics courses required for the undergraduate degree.
For students thinking about medical school, many programs require clinical experience in the form of shadowing or hands-on internships. Knowing what programs you would like to apply to lets you learn about that school’s requirements and allows you to plan in advance.
In addition to academic and clinical experiences, your application may include taking entrance exams such as the GRE (Graduate Record Examinations), MCAT (Medical College Admission Test), or CASPer (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics).
These tests are much like the SAT or ACT, but at the graduate level. There are many kinds of these exams, and they range from general knowledge to medical knowledge to situational judgement and ethics. Students taking these exams often take weeks or months to study the material and take practice tests. Knowing early if one of these exams will be included in your application will give you more time to prepare.
Biology students may be interested in the myriad healthcare graduate programs offer through Mary Baldwin’s Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences.
McCree Center for Career Success
Students are encouraged to meet with advisors from the McCree Center for Career Success to explore, prepare for, and secure meaningful internship and work-based learning opportunities aligned with a Biology major.
Through individualized advising and resources like Handshake, students can identify opportunities, connect with employers, and apply for experiences that build their skills and professional networks.
