Also called: Biomedical Researcher, Translational Scientist
Researches the causes of human disease and tests ways to prevent or treat it.
Might spend the morning analyzing tumor samples under a microscope and the afternoon writing a grant proposal to fund the next three years of work. Some days are spent with clinicians figuring out why a treatment works in mice but not people.
BLS May 2024. Median from BLS; 10th/90th percentiles estimated.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Doctorate (PhD), about 10 years after high school. PhD in biology or a related field, or an MD; some hold both (MD-PhD, ~8 years).
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school, Professional school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Science.
Growing much faster than average (about 9% over 10 years). BLS 2024-34; aging population drives medical research.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI scans papers, images and patient data for leads; running studies, working with doctors and winning grants stay human.
Classes: AP Biology, Chemistry, Statistics, Anatomy and physiology.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-1042.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.