by our College Data Analytics TeamAnatomy was the 463rd most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 836 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 16 over the prior year, a growth of 1.9%.
This year's Best Anatomy Schools ranking compares 23 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom anatomy rankings further below.
When studying Anatomy, you’ll learn that understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs. Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience and talking to others to convey information effectively are all required skills for careers related to this major.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. In addition to these basic anatomy program qualifications, to serve in some anatomy careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
Anatomy degree levels vary. Anatomy programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest anatomy degree you can get. The time it takes to complete a anatomy degree varies depending on the program.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to anatomy, with approximately 26.5% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for anatomy workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Post-Doctoral Training | 26.4% |
| Doctoral Degree | 25.7% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 25.2% |
| Master’s Degree | 14.8% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 2.4% |
50.7% of anatomy workers have at least a doctorate. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in anatomy have obtained.
This of course varies depending on which anatomy career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your anatomy degree? Anatomy careers are expected to grow 12.3% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to anatomy.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Scientists | 136,100 | 13.4% |
| Biological Science Professors | 71,700 | 15.1% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 62,300 | 9.9% |
| Biological Scientists | 41,800 | 8.0% |
As you might expect, salaries for anatomy graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for anatomy graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers anatomy grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Natural Sciences Managers | $139,680 |
| Biological Science Professors | $97,340 |
| Medical Scientists | $96,420 |
| Biological Scientists | $83,600 |
With over 78 different anatomy degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased anatomy school rankings to help you with this.
Anatomy is one of 5 different types of Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology | 4,307 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology & Histology | 524 |
| Other Cell/Cellular Biology & Anatomical Sciences | 318 |
| Cell Biology & Anatomy | 131 |
| Developmental Biology & Embryology | 90 |
Image Credit: By Kelvin Song under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
