How To Become A Bioinformatician: What It Is and Career Path

What is a bioinformatician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Badri Roysam D.Sc.

A bioinformatician is an informant who combines research in biology, medicine, and health-related studies with IT to interpret data covering fields such as genetics. They create and maintain databases of biological information and develop and use mathematical models for arithmetical analysis.

As a bioinformatician, you need to possess the minimum degree required to qualify for a bioinformatics scientist is a master's degree in bioinformatics, computer engineering, computational biology, computer science, or a related field. Many employers prefer candidates with Ph.D. degrees, as these individuals have a higher level of expertise, so with the Ph.D. degree, you can relate too.

The bachelors who approach this field end up laying claim to annual earnings at $82,220. The current median pay for a Bioinformatician ranges from $75,377 to $87,348 in the U.S. However, this figure can vary significantly depending upon your knowledge, skills, or organization.

What general advice would you give to a bioinformatician?

Badri Roysam D.Sc.

Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen University Professor Chair, Electrical & Computer Engineering Department University of Houston, University of Houston

The fundamentals of the discipline, and critical thinking skills will continue to be important.

ScoreBioinformaticianUS Average

Salary

5.6

Avg. Salary $71,359

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.3

Growth rate 17%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.15%

Asian 39.05%

Black or African American 5.80%

Hispanic or Latino 8.89%

Unknown 3.92%

White 42.20%

Gender

female 16.88%

male 83.12%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress level

6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.7

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a bioinformatician

Explore bioinformatician education requirements

Most common bioinformatician degrees

Bachelor's

43.4 %

Master's

35.5 %

Doctorate

19.7 %

Start to develop specific bioinformatician skills

Skills	Percentages
Python	17.49%
Data Analysis	12.00%
Next-Generation Sequencing	10.70%
Java	7.72%
Visualization	6.65%

Complete relevant bioinformatician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New bioinformaticians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a bioinformatician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real bioinformatician resumes.

Research bioinformatician duties and responsibilities

Develop UNIX shell script, PERL and AWK program and apply TECPLOT software macro files to automate data processing and report.
Perform data, results visualization, full SDLC
Identify single nucleotide variants from NGS data.
Develop and teach introductory shortcourses in Perl and HTML.

Apply for bioinformatician jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a bioinformatician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams