Genetics Degrees (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Genetics maps to BLS occupations averaging about $134,591, with roughly 41,400 workers nationwide in those roles. About 1,733 degrees completed in recent IPEDS counts; median program completion runs near 58%.
Key Statistics
Genetics: what the data shows
Common questions about genetics degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a genetics degree?
A Genetics program is classified under NCES CIP 00.2608 in the 00.0026 field family (00.26).
IPEDS counted 1,733 completions for this CIP in the survey year in our extract.
Types of genetics degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 00.26 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (CIP 00.2602)
- Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology (CIP 00.2611)
- Biotechnology (CIP 00.2612)
- Botany/Plant Biology (CIP 00.2603)
- Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences (CIP 00.2604)
- Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology (CIP 00.2613)
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology (CIP 00.2605)
- Molecular Medicine (CIP 00.2614)
- Neurobiology and Neurosciences (CIP 00.2615)
- Pharmacology and Toxicology (CIP 00.2610)
- Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences (CIP 00.2609)
- Zoology/Animal Biology (CIP 00.2607)
What do you learn in genetics?
O*NET skill ratings for occupations mapped to this major emphasize Writing, Science, Speaking, Active Learning, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, and related competencies. See the Skills section for the full list in our extract.
What degree do you need?
For Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists (top mapped occupation), O*NET incumbent surveys in our career profile report these education credentials most often: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
O*NET education distributions describe incumbent workers, not minimum legal or employer requirements.
What jobs can you get with a genetics degree?
Our degree→occupation mapping links Genetics to the BLS roles below. Employment is U.S. OEWS; median wage is national May 2024 where published in our extract.
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | 156,300 | $100,590 |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | 59,710 | $93,330 |
| Genetic Counselors | 3,510 | $98,910 |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists | 34,520 | $103,650 |
See Careers & Jobs for mean wages and industry context.
Is a genetics degree worth it?
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $12,859 and median net price is $20,018.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Genetics and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$12,859 Median In-State Public
$60,774 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Genetics majors are, on average, $12,859 for in-state public colleges, and $60,774 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Genetics programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
1,733 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Genetics from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Genetics.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
| 2 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | 44,617 |
| 3 | University of Arizona | AZ | 40,769 |
| 4 | Michigan State University | MI | 40,243 |
| 5 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | 39,637 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Genetics programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Florida | FL | $6,381 |
| 2 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | NC | $7,593 |
| 3 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | NM | $8,147 |
| 4 | SUNY at Fredonia | NY | $8,771 |
| 5 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | AL | $8,832 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Genetics programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Florida | FL | $6,351 |
| 2 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | NM | $6,747 |
| 3 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus | CT | $8,896 |
| 4 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | NC | $10,170 |
| 5 | Western Kentucky University | KY | $10,916 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Genetics programs.
Graduation Rates
58.32% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
58.65% Average Graduation Rate
133 Institutions Reporting
48.25% - 69.94% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Genetics programs across institutions.
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 00.26 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology CIP 00.2602
- Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology CIP 00.2611
- Biotechnology CIP 00.2612
- Botany/Plant Biology CIP 00.2603
- Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences CIP 00.2604
- Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology CIP 00.2613
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology CIP 00.2605
- Molecular Medicine CIP 00.2614
- Neurobiology and Neurosciences CIP 00.2615
- Pharmacology and Toxicology CIP 00.2610
- Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences CIP 00.2609
- Zoology/Animal Biology CIP 00.2607
Careers & Jobs
Occupations linked to this major in our degree→career mapping, with wages and employment from processed BLS career profiles in this repo.
Across these BLS occupations, employment-weighted mean pay is about $134,591. Figures are national OEWS estimates for the occupation—not earnings of Genetics graduates alone.
Related occupations (BLS OEWS)
| Occupation | Mean annual wage | U.S. employment |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $138,546 | 156,300 |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $124,288 | 59,710 |
| Genetic Counselors | $143,815 | 3,510 |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists | $133,564 | 34,520 |
Open each occupation for full career profile charts and industry breakdowns on EDsmart Data.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$133,765 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Genetics majors is $133,765.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Genetics majors.
Occupations by Share
41,400 2023 Workforce
The number of Genetics graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Genetics by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Genetics in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Genetics.
Age distribution for Genetics degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Gender distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Gender distribution of Genetics degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Race and ethnicity distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Racial and ethnic distribution of Genetics degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Genetics are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Genetics.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Genetics field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Genetics majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Genetics majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Genetics majors.
About
Genetics
In 2023, 1,733 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Genetics.
CIP Code
00.2608 - Genetics
What the data shows
Mapped BLS occupations show employment-weighted mean pay of about $134,591. The largest mapped role by headcount is Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists (156,300 U.S. jobs in OEWS).
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $12,859 in-state at public colleges and $60,774 at private institutions for programs in this field.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.