How To Become A Biological Scientist: What It Is and Career Path

Q: Do biologists get paid well?

Yes, biologists get paid well. The average salary for a biologist in the United States is around $69,000 in a year. The bottom 10% of biologists may only make $40,000 a year in the role; however, the top 10% of biologists make over $120,000 in a year.

Q: Do you need a Ph.D. to be a biologist?

No, you do not need a Ph.D. to be a biologist. While the best paying jobs typically go to people who have a Ph.D., this is not a requirement to work in a position as a biologist. Biology is a fast-growing field with a wide range of high-paying positions. While the highest-paid positions require an extensive amount of training and education, they are also considered highly rewarding jobs both emotionally and financially.

Q: How many years does it take to become a biological scientist?

It typically takes four to six years to become a biological scientist. The time it takes depends on the specific career path a person chooses and the time spent gaining educational qualifications.

Q: How much do biological scientists make?

Biological scientists make $69,000 in a year, on average. The bottom 10% of biological scientists may only make $40,000 a year in the role; however, the top 10% of biological scientists make over $120,000 in a year.

Q: What is the starting salary for a biological scientist?

The average starting salary for a biological scientist is around $40,000 in a year. The average salary for all biological scientists is around $69,000 in a year; however, the top 10% of biological scientists make over $120,000 in a year.

Q: What qualifications do you need to be a scientist?

The minimum qualification you need to be a scientist is a four-year bachelor's degree within the specific field a person intends to work in. However, if a person wants to work independently or perform industrial research, a doctoral degree is often required.

What is a biological scientist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Betsy Smith

A Biological Scientist is tasked with working with a team of similar researchers in conducting experiments on animals, plants, bacteria, and other microbes, usually to better the lives of humans and other creatures. A person in this position may be testing different kinds of medicine, hormones, or other substances, or several at once, and their effect upon living organisms. They later gather and publish their research.

The Biological Scientist must also be familiar with the latest laws, studies, and research within their line of work. Straying from the laws, guidelines, and regulations can ruin months of hard work. Plus, funds and material can be wasted by experimenting with theories and methods that may have already been tested and failed to provide satisfying results.

Typically, for a position as high up as that of a Biological Scientist, a Master's degree in Biology or a related field of study will be necessary.

What general advice would you give to a biological scientist?

Dr. Betsy Smith

Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Elmira College

I would advise students just graduating to be flexible and open-minded in their job search. Chemistry is a challenging major, and students who succeed in it have learned how to learn, so they shouldn't assume that pure chemistry is the only thing they can do. One growing field is biomedical research, and chemistry majors are often qualified for jobs in that area. If you have other strengths, like writing, there are often jobs that can combine them as a technical writer or work for a science journal. There are jobs out there that might be perfect for you that you haven't heard of until you see an ad for it, so be open to different possibilities.

ScoreBiological ScientistUS Average

Salary

5.3

Avg. Salary $67,631

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.3

Growth rate 17%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.59%

Asian 15.29%

Black or African American 3.03%

Hispanic or Latino 8.52%

Unknown 4.97%

White 67.60%

Gender

female 53.94%

male 46.06%

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 biological scientist

Explore biological scientist education requirements

Most common biological scientist degrees

Bachelor's

67.6 %

Master's

18.2 %

Doctorate

9.1 %

Start to develop specific biological scientist skills

Skills	Percentages
Data Analysis	8.71%
Cell Culture	7.47%
RNA	5.39%
Cell-Based Assays	4.91%
Technical Reports	4.61%

Research biological scientist duties and responsibilities

Lead protein biochemistry efforts for nuclear receptor group and develop bioassays and initiate new approaches.
Develop and manage third party claim investigations and contractor remedial oversight for various insurance companies.
Perform high molecular weight DNA extraction from bacterial cells using microbiology and molecular biology methods.
Provide technical/analytical inputs for the responses to FDA comments.

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