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Job outlook for genomics scientists in the United States
Are genomics scientist jobs in demand?
Genomics scientist job and salary trends over time
Genomics scientist jobs over time
Genomics scientist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 351 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 311 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 299 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 318 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 280 | 0.00% |
Average genomics scientist salary over time
Genomics scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $90,194 | $43.36 | +3.7% |
| 2024 | $86,948 | $41.80 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | $84,167 | $40.46 | +3.8% |
| 2022 | $81,100 | $38.99 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | $79,091 | $38.02 | --0.5% |
Genomics scientist jobs by state
Most common states for genomics scientists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,734 | 25% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 124 | 18% |
| 3 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 947 | 16% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 154 | 16% |
| 5 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,194 | 13% |
| 6 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,081 | 13% |
| 7 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 110 | 13% |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 144 | 11% |
| 9 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 82 | 11% |
| 10 | Vermont | 623,657 | 71 | 11% |
| 11 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,907 | 10% |
| 12 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 747 | 10% |
| 13 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 404 | 10% |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,108 | 9% |
| 15 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 965 | 9% |
| 16 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 97 | 9% |
| 17 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 94 | 9% |
| 18 | Alaska | 739,795 | 64 | 9% |
| 19 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 286 | 8% |
| 20 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 175 | 8% |
Most common cities for genomics scientists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Fernando | 1 | 4% | $106,773 |
| 2 | Beverly | 1 | 2% | $85,056 |
| 3 | Cambridge | 1 | 1% | $85,356 |
| 4 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $85,450 |
| 5 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $105,794 |
Genomics Scientist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of genomics scientist experts
Earlham College
SUNY Stony Brook
Washburn University of Topeka
Pepperdine University
University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Dallas
University of San Diego
Northwestern University
New Mexico State University
Santa Fe College
Washington State University
Purdue University
University of Pittsburgh
What Genomics Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Taufika Williams PhD: Wet-laboratory skills will always be important, however, data interrogation is a key space of growth, as biotechnology research is being driven by big data. Seek education in scientific writing, computer programming, delivering scientific presentations, statistics and the analysis of large datasets.
Camellia Okpodu
What general advice would you give to a Genomics Scientist?
Camellia Okpodu: Adatation and fundamental knowledge of botanical terms will always be pivotal to the discipline; however new technologies and applications will move the bountiful the discipline. Bioinformatics, genomics; Machine learning, Remote Sensing and VR (both for instruction and field application) will be necessay skills. Also, Botanists will collaborate with experts from diverse fields (ecology, computer science, engineering) thus making effective communication and teamwork critical.skills of the future
Mr. Brian Zimmerman III
Assistant Vice President of Strategic CommunicationsEarlham College
Drama/Theatre Arts And Stagecraft
What Genomics Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mr. Brian Zimmerman III: An emerging trend in my particular field is deep-sequencing or "big data" analysis. Many techniques that investigate the identities, regulation, and networks of biological molecules are high-throughput, meaning they generate huge quantities of data that require specialized programs and training to analyze. Developing a background in bioinformatics, data literacy, programming, or computer science will definitely make a student highly marketable and sought after when on the job market. There are several online and in-person courses, workshops, and webinars to learn about these techniques and the accompanying data analysis; I encourage recent graduates or soon-to-be graduates to explore these opportunities as these skills are transferrable to several disciplines and career paths.
What general advice would you give to a Genomics Scientist?
Ross Weatherman Ph.D.: Generally, broad training across a number of different types of biochemical and molecular biology methods will make you an attractive candidate to a larger number of employers and expand your potential options, but deep skills in one or two really important techniques areas, such as proteomics or bioinformatics, will make you most attractive to a single employer and improve your salary potential.
What Genomics Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ross Weatherman Ph.D.: Being able to communicate effectively, whether it is in-person or remotely, is still probably the most important skill for any graduate, but as more work is being split up among sites, the ability to add value to those more delocalized work environments is really important. Also, the ability to handle big data sets and the awareness of how best to visualize and explain these types of large data sets will become more important.
What Genomics Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Vitaly Citovsky: Advanced degrees, bioinformatics, hi-tech research (synthetic biology), but classical molecular biology and genetics and biochemistry skills will remain critical
Susan Bjerke
Associate Professor of BiologyWashburn University of Topeka
Biological And Physical Sciences
What will help Genomics Scientists increase their earning potential?
Susan Bjerke: Some of the skills that will be important in the next 3-5 years will be general critical thinking skills and the ability to adapt to changing technology. Almost all science fields are increasingly dependent on technology, so being able to learn new skills and change the way you do things in your job will be important. Being an effective communicator, both in writing and orally, is an overlooked skill in the sciences and is always an important asset.
What Genomics Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Rachel Tan Ph.D.: The scientific method: to be able to find, read, interpret, understand, and implement research. Not only would this enhance personal skills and critical thinking, it could contribute to techniques and methods that could be performed; it could foster questions that would be important in advancing the field; and could set apart an individual.
What will help Genomics Scientists increase their earning potential?
Rachel Tan Ph.D.: Listen and be curious: ask questions (the why and how?), ask for opportunities, do extra readings outside of work. Aim for excellence: treat each assigned task as priority–go above and beyond. Connect: talk to colleagues, your boss, staff–be excited to learn from others. Be grateful: constantly reflect on the small details that led you to this point, for gratitude gives you foundation for joy during your career.
What Genomics Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Qing Li: AI will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years but laboratory experiments will continue to make new discoveries.
What will help Genomics Scientists increase their earning potential?
Qing Li: Follow your heart and do what you enjoy and enjoy what you do. Research direction is as important as scientific questions if it is not more important.
What Genomics Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Prajay Patel Ph.D.: As high throughput instruments and supercomputers continue to generate massive amounts of data, learn how to do tasks with programming languages like Python for larger scale data analysis and visualization. However, communicating effectively, working well in team-based environments, one’s writing ability, and the ability to handle multiple projects/experiments at the same time are all valuable soft skills that one should build regardless of any new trends in a particular field.
What general advice would you give to a Genomics Scientist?
Nicole Danos PhD: Include your non-lab based skills in your resume!
What Genomics Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nicole Danos PhD: In the next 3-5 years techniques in Biotech will constantly improve. Which will mean three things:
a) there will be much more data to sort through! It will be important to let the questions being asked direct data analyses.
b) workers will need to be nimble to improve their lab skills. The same principles of good practices will apply!
c) AI tools will be in the workplace. Workers will need to understand these tools and know whether or not they are appropriate for what they are trying to use, and not trust them blindly.
What Genomics Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nathaniel Stern: Computational and programming skills are always useful in many fields. This will continue, since much of physics is highly specialized and benefits from new advances. Writing and speaking will continue to matter. High quality communication brings success and recognition to one’s technical work. As one proceeds deeper into scientific career, this communication becomes more important, not less. New technologies change the mode of communication, but they do not replace the natural and learned skills that make one effective at communicating with and convincing other.
What will help Genomics Scientists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Michael Marchetti: I think that in the next few years, it will be important to have some wide range of skills across a diversity of sub-disciplines. For example, GIS (geographic information skills), R statistical programming language, modern genetic and genomic techniques, computer programming skills etc. Again, it seems that hard and fast borders/walls separating disciplinary fields are breaking down as our knowledge of the larger biological world expands.
What Genomics Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Meghan McGee-Lawrence Ph.D.: That really depends on the field you go into, but as is common these days, I’d have to say that A.I. / machine learning is certainly increasing in relevance. From a research perspective, there is widespread interest in using these emerging technologies to offer new ways to address scientific questions, and from an education perspective, A.I. is likely here to stay – so we need to continually review and improve upon how we are delivering educational experiences to students in light of how technology is evolving. I also think having the ability to collect, work with, and understand “big data’-type datasets is becoming essential in scientific fields – whether you are collecting these sequencing- and “omics”-based datasets yourself, or simply working with the multitude of studies that are now publicly available in data repositories, there is a wealth of information available if you know how to use it.
What will help Genomics Scientists increase their earning potential?
Michael Marks: I think using AI as a research tool is going to be big in the near future. Learn the ins and outs of an AI platform or two and observe how others are using it in research (e.g., creating stimuli, interacting with participants).
Luz Garcini PhD, MPH
Assistant ProfessorWhat general advice would you give to a Genomics Scientist?
Luz Garcini PhD, MPH: Find a purpose and a meaning in their work and be open to learning from interdisciplinary fields.
What will help Genomics Scientists increase their earning potential?
Kristopher Koudelka Ph.D.: Always keep learning. These fields change fast! The leading edge is always unveiling new information that can be applied to the area you are working on, and there will be new techniques developed that allow you to answer questions in more efficient ways. You must learn to regularly update yourself through conversations, reading, conferences, and trainings. This change is fun and exciting, embrace it. It will keep your job feeling new.
What general advice would you give to a Genomics Scientist?
Jeff Heslep: Find a starting job that gives you a wide range of work to perform. The more experience you can gain during the first few years will help you to hone your skills, decide what areas interest you the most, and give you the opportunity to choose. Learn as much as you can about the various equipment, analytical techniques, processes, and how to troubleshoot minor problems. Take the initiative and ask to learn how to use instruments you aren't familiar with. It is unlikely someone will deny you the opportunity to broaden your knowledge. Take every chance you have to network and get to know the people within your local biotechnology industry. Networking plays a major role in employment opportunities. Work on your written and verbal communication skills. Communicating well will help you stand out. Being able to effectively convey complex scientific concepts in such a way that anyone can understand it can be a powerful skill.
What will help Genomics Scientists increase their earning potential?
Lindsey du Toit: Take every opportunity you can to learn, network, and build an effective team of people that bring a greater breadth and depth of skills and expertise to the work on which you will be focusing. Cultivate a life-long sense of intellectual curiosity and learning. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Treat ignorance as an opportunity to learn. Questions demonstrate you want to understand the situation/problem effectively and that you are paying attention. Always demonstrate integrity in your work. It is one of the most valuable traits you can bring to your career. Be kind and supportive of your colleagues.
Yan Cong
Purdue University
Romance Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
What Genomics Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Yan Cong: AI singularity, Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), et cetera are topics that trigger a lot of debate nowadays and they will be prevalent in the near future. Perspectives from humanities and linguistics would contribute to the ongoing debate and provide new opportunities for future innovative technologies that are linked to languages, linguistics and humanities.
What will help Genomics Scientists increase their earning potential?
Arjumand Ghazi Ph. D: Having an advanced degree such as a PhD and even a few years postdoc is a good way to start at a higher level. It often allows one to make up for the reduced earnings during the training periods while increasing long-term earnings.