by our College Data Analytics TeamMolecular Genetics was the 659th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 359 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 23 over the prior year, a growth of 6.4%.
Our 2023 Best Molecular Genetics Schools ranking analyzes 15 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for molecular genetics students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of molecular genetics programs later in this article.
Molecular Genetics majors are found most commonly in careers in which understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents is important. Required skills include talking to others to convey information effectively and communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
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 molecular genetics program qualifications, to serve in some molecular genetics careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are many different molecular genetics degree levels. You can spend many years getting as high as a in molecular genetics to something that takes less time like a . Different molecular genetics degrees vary in how long they take.
| 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 molecular genetics, with approximately 27.0% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to molecular genetics tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Post-Doctoral Training | 28.4% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 25.9% |
| Doctoral Degree | 25.8% |
| Master’s Degree | 12.0% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 2.4% |
About 53.2% of workers in careers related to molecular genetics obtain at least doctor's degrees. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in molecular genetics have received.
This of course varies depending on which molecular genetics career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your molecular genetics degree? Molecular Genetics careers are expected to grow 11.5% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to molecular genetics.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 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 molecular genetics graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for molecular genetics graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers molecular genetics grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Natural Sciences Managers | $139,680 |
| Biological Science Professors | $97,340 |
| Biological Scientists | $83,600 |
With over 38 different molecular genetics 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 molecular genetics school rankings to help you with this.
Molecular Genetics is one of 6 different types of Genetics programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Genetics | 649 |
| Human/Medical Genetics | 272 |
| Genome Sciences/Genomics | 137 |
| Animal Genetics | 79 |
| Plant Genetics | 29 |
