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Adjunct biology professor education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an adjunct biology professor. Adjunct biology professors usually study biology, biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, or general education, specific areas. 48% of adjunct biology professors hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 477 real adjunct biology professor resumes to see exactly what adjunct biology professor education sections show.

The most common colleges for adjunct biology professors are the New York University and the New York University.

There are also many online adjunct biology professor courses to help get the education required to be an adjunct biology professor.

What education do you need to become an adjunct biology professor?

What degree do you need to be an adjunct biology professor?

The most common degree for adjunct biology professors is bachelor's degree, with 48% of adjunct biology professors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 26% and master's degree degree at 20%.
  • Bachelor's, 48%
  • Master's, 26%
  • Doctorate, 20%
  • Associate, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become an adjunct biology professor?

You should major in biology to become an adjunct biology professor. 53% of adjunct biology professors major in biology. Other common majors for an adjunct biology professor include biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology and general education, specific areas.

Most common colleges for adjunct biology professors

Adjunct biology professors often get their degrees at New York University, Clemson University, and California State University - San Bernardino. Here are the most common colleges for adjunct biology professors in the US based on their resumes.
Adjunct biology professor common collegePercentages
New York University7.25%
Clemson University7.25%
California State University - San Bernardino7.25%
Baylor University5.80%
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey5.80%

Best majors for adjunct biology professors

Best colleges for adjunct biology professors

The best colleges for adjunct biology professors are Harvard University, Stanford University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

An adjunct biology professor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for adjunct biology professors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become adjunct biology professors.

1. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

6. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

9. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

10. University of California, Irvine

Irvine, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,700

Enrollment

29,722

20 best online courses for adjunct biology professors

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1. Chemical Biology

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Chemical biology is a burgeoning field that has rapidly risen to prominence. This surge of interest has been fuelled by chemical biology’s applicability to understanding critical processes in live cells or model organisms in real time. This success has arisen because chemical biology straddles a nexus between chemistry, biology, and physics. Thus, chemical biology can harness rapid chemistry to observe or perturb biological processes, that are in turn reported using physical assays, all in an...

2. Biology Everywhere

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Where have you experienced biology today? Journey through the science of life through the lens of our daily lives. This specialization is intended to bridge the gap between traditional biology classes and the practical biology knowledge needed in the real world. In each module, a different biological concept is examined and related to some real-world issues or experiences in an effort to demonstrate why the science of life matters to your everyday experience. Content includes subjects typically...

3. General Biology I: Foundations of Biology

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An essential course in Biology for students of all ages...

4. The Complete MARINE BIOLOGY 101 Course, Beginner to Advanced

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The NEW course with everything you need on Marine Biology - 2021 Online CERTIFICATE - Taught by a real marine biologist!...

5. Biology Everywhere Foundations

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In this course, we will explore the nature of science and biology. We will discuss what the “biology everywhere” philosophy means and the history of the “biology everywhere” project. We will also discuss what science (and biology) are as a discipline of inquiry and how chemistry is foundational to understanding biology...

6. Cancer Biology

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The healthcare system is a rapidly evolving field with new research leading to advancements in medicine. Developed at Johns Hopkins University and led by top-ranked Hopkins faculty and cancer experts, this specialization on Cancer Biology focuses on the basics of cancer biology, how cancer metastasis occurs, and specifically, screening guidelines for prostate cancer, the most common cancer in American men.\n\nThis specialization starts with an Introduction to the Biology of Cancer, introduces...

7. Introductory Biology

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8. Cancer Biology 101

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Risk factors, how cancer grows, and how to treat it...

9. Lactation Biology

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Lactation and especially milk, which is the product of that unique mammalian process, are routinely encountered within our daily lives. Nevertheless, they often are poorly understood by many, even including many who are engaged in the business of producing milk. The overall course goal is to introduce fundamental concepts that form the basis for understanding the biology of lactation, the biology of the mammary gland, and the products of that important physiological process. As a learner in...

10. Systems Biology and Biotechnology Capstone

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NOTE: In order to take this course you should have taken and complete the following courses in the Signature Track: Introduction to Systems Biology, Network Analysis in Systems Biology, Dynamical Modeling Methods for Systems Biology, Experimental Methods in SB and Integrated Analysis In Systems Biology...

11. Easy Anatomy and Physiology (Platinum Edition)

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An Easy Guide to Learning the Anatomy and Physiology of the Human Body...

12. Biotechnology: Antibodies & their role in Therapeutics

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Learn about Antibodies: Their Structure, Types, Functions and Role in Therapeutics & Diagnostics Immunology Biology...

13. Introduction to Biology: Ecology, Evolution, & Biodiversity

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In this 3-course specialization, you will learn to see nature the way a biologist does. You will gain an understanding and appreciation for the incredible diversity of life and the interdependence of all living things. You will explore what we know about the origins of life and how biologists have advanced the science of evolution since Charles Darwin's lifetime, as well as the many applications of evolutionary biology to our everyday lives; you will examine the characteristics, functions,...

14. Experimental Methods in Systems Biology

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Learn about the technologies underlying experimentation used in systems biology, with particular focus on RNA sequencing, mass spec-based proteomics, flow/mass cytometry and live-cell imaging. A key driver of the systems biology field is the technology allowing us to delve deeper and wider into how cells respond to experimental perturbations. This in turns allows us to build more detailed quantitative models of cellular function, which can give important insight into applications ranging from...

15. Learn Bioinformatics From Scratch (Theory & Practical)

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16. Genetics and Next Generation Sequencing for Bioinformatics

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For software professionals entering Bioinformatics: DNA sequencing data analysis, NGS, & Biology prerequisites...

17. Systems Biology and Biotechnology

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Design systems-level experiments using appropriate cutting edge techniques, collect big data, and analyze and interpret small and big data sets quantitatively.\n\nThe Systems Biology Specialization covers the concepts and methodologies used in systems-level analysis of biomedical systems. Successful participants will learn how to use experimental, computational and mathematical methods in systems biology and how to design practical systems-level frameworks to address questions in a variety of...

18. Introduction to the Biology of Cancer

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Over 500,000 people in the United States and over 8 million people worldwide are dying every year from cancer. As people live longer, the incidence of cancer is rising worldwide and the disease is expected to strike over 20 million people annually by 2030. This open course is designed for people who would like to develop an understanding of cancer and how it is prevented, diagnosed, and treated. The course introduces the molecular biology of cancer (oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes) as well...

19. The Little Stuff: Energy, Cells, and Genetics

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In this course, we will explore the smaller side of biology: molecular biology. We’ll cover basic topics including cell biology and how cells can go “rogue” and turn into cancer, how energy from the sun is transferred to fuel our bodies, basics of genetics and inheritance, and genetic technologies. At the end of this course, we will discuss ethical and moral implications of several exciting and new genetic technologies...

20. Women in environmental biology

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Have you ever wondered how humans relate to other living beings and what do you need to know to be able to understand current environmental problems? Do you know that many of these researches and knowledge have been described by women? This course gives answers to these questions and it is addressed to anyone interested in the relationship between humans and other living beings, as well as all those concerned about the global change situation that the planet is suffering. We will learn key...

Top 10 most affordable universities for adjunct biology professors

The most affordable schools for adjunct biology professors are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for adjunct biology professors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for adjunct biology professors.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

9. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

10. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for adjunct biology professors

The hardest universities for adjunct biology professors to get into are Harvard University, Stanford University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

Some great schools for adjunct biology professors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for adjunct biology professors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

3. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

4. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

7. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

8. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

9. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,520

10. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for adjunct biology professors

The easiest schools for adjunct biology professors to get into are Barry University, notre dame de namur university, and life university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an adjunct biology professor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for adjunct biology professors.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

4. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

5. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

6. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

7. University of Houston - Downtown

Houston, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,012

8. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

9. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

10. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

Average adjunct biology professor salary by education level

According to our data, adjunct biology professors with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $104,552 annually. Adjunct biology professors with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $80,031.
Adjunct biology professor education levelAdjunct biology professor salary
Master's Degree$80,031
Doctorate Degree$104,552

Adjunct biology professor education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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