Biology: Now What?
Biology…NOW WHAT?
Quick Facts: Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists Zoologists and wildlife biologists study animals, those both in captivity and in the wild, and how they interact with their ecosystems. | |
| 2024 Median Pay | $72.860 per year $35.03per hour |
| Typical Entry-Level Education | Bachelor’s degree |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation | None |
| On-the-job Training | None |
| Number of Jobs, 2024 | 18,200 |
| Job Outlook, 2024-34 | 2% (slower than average) |
| Employment Change, 2024-34 | 300 |
[Found on the Occupational Outlook Handbook]
What is Biology? Biologists learn how living things work, how they interact with one another, and how they evolve. They may study cells under a microscope, insects in a rainforest, viruses that affect human beings, plants in a greenhouse, or lions in the African grasslands. Their work increases our understanding about the natural world in which we live and helps us address issues of personal well-being and worldwide concern, such as environmental depletion, threats to human health, and maintaining viable & abundant food supplies.
What Can I Do With A Bachelor’s Degree in Biology
Agronomist Environmental Engineer Marine Engineering Tech
Animal Scientist Environmental Health Marine/Fisheries Worker
Aquaculture Farmer Environmental Protection Marine Geologist
Aqua Culturist Ergonomist Marine Sales
Aquarium & Museum Fish Hatchery Tech Marine Tourism Worker
Aquarium Technician Fisheries Conservation Market Research Analyst
Aquatic Biologist Florist Medical Illustrator
Barrier Beach Manager Food Scientist Medical Laboratory Tech
Bio-Engineer Forester Medical Librarian
Bio-Technologist Genetic Engineering Research Medical Technologist
Biochemist Health Officer Meteorologist
Biometrician Horticulturalist Microbiologist
Botanist Hospital Administrator Molecular Biologist
Chemical Oceanographer Hydrographic Surveyor Mortician
Chiropractor Industrial Hygienist Mycologist
Coastal Resources Manager Industrial Marine Economist Naval Architect
Commercial Fishing Engineer Limnological Technician Net Designer
Coroner Marine-Coastal Consult Neurobiologist
Dietitian & Nutritionist Marine Bacteriologist Oceanographer
Ecologist Marine Biologist Paramedic
Pharmacy Technician Marine Ecologist Parasitologist
Science Lab Technician Public Health Worker Pharmaceutical Sales
Zoologist Science Teacher Salt Marsh Manager
Wildlife Resources Manager State Parks & Recreation Science Writer
Technical Writer Test-Inspection Tech Soil Conservationist
Underwater Technician Wildlife Biologist Toxicologist
Water Quality Technician Seafood Processor/Researcher Science Illustrator
Selection of Employers for recent (Class of 2026) UMass Amherst Biology alumni:
AstraZeneca Beth Israel Lahey Health Boston Bone & Joint Institute
Boston Children's Hospital Boston Medical Center Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard Cambridge Health Alliance
Center for Human Genetics Charles River Laboratories Cooley Dickinson Health Care
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Joslin Diabetes Center Mass General Brigham
Mass General Hospital National Institutes of Health Outer Cape Health Services
Peace Corps Pfizer Quincy Pediatric Associates
Servier Pharmaceuticals Triumvirate Environmental Tufts Medicine
UMass Memorial Healthcare UMass Amherst Veeva Systems
Other Top Employers From Recent Graduating Classes:
AbbVie
Baystate Health
Boston Bioproducts
Boston Sports and Shoulder
Bristol Myers Squibb
Cambridge Health Alliance
Charles River Laboratories
CVS Health
Emerson Hospital
Eurofins
Foundation Medicine
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
HelixBind
KBMO Diagnostics
Mass Audubon
McLean Hospital
Memorial Sloan Kettering
Moderna
ScribeAmerica
Strand Therapeutics
Thermo Fisher
USDA Forest Service
Vertex Pharamceuticals
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Yale School of Medicine
Where did some student from the class of 2026 go to graduate school?
Binghamton University
Boston University
Cornell University
Eastern Michigan University
MCPHS
NYIT
Northeastern University
Penn State University
Ross Veterinary School
Rutgers University
Smith College
Tufts University
UCONN
University of Florida
UMass Amherst
Where Might I do an Internship?
UMass Amherst Biology Majors Have Done Internships at The Following Sites:
Walt Disney World
Northampton VA Medical Ctr
Cooley Dickinson Hospital
Baystate Health Systems
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Ctr
MASSPIRG
Shriners Hospitals for Children
Wyeth Biotech
Sanofi Group: Pasteur, & Genzyme
MA State House
Fitchburg State University
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Ctr
Wyeth Biotech
UMass Amherst Aviary Field Research
Associates of Cape Cod
Biogen Idec Inc
UMass Amherst MA Pesticide Analysis Lab
UMass Amherst Student Legal Services
UMass Amherst Emergency Medical Services
University Health Services
MSM Protein Technologies
Methuen (City of)
Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory
All-Access Fitness Academy
PrO Unlimited
PRIMA Pediatrics
Principle Profits Asset Management
Centocor
Dr. Hauschka Skin Care Inc.
Venilia Gardens
MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Richard B. Simches Research Ctr
Yonsei University (S. Korea)
Vision Showcase
Whale Ctr of New England
US Dept. of Agriculture
MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Richard B. Simches Research Ctr
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society
Zoo in Forest Park (The)
National Aquarium in Baltimore
Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society
Boston Biomedical Research Institute
UMass Amherst Environmental Health & Safety
UMass Amherst Campus Sustainability Initiative
UMass Amherst Ctr for Health Promotion
UMass Amherst Peer Health Educators
Northampton Area Pediatrics, LLP
Craig's Doors- A Home Association
Gimhae Saint Mary's Hospital (S. Korea)
New York Sports Club
Neighborhood Physical Therapy
Harvard University
Baystate Medical Ctr
American Cancer Society
AVEO Pharmaceuticals
UMass Amherst Biology Dept
Douglas Treyz DDS
Peabody (City of)
Children's Hospital Boston
Cell Signaling Technology, Inc.
Harvard University
Joslin Diabetes Ctr
UMass Amherst
Cell Signaling Technology, Inc.
All-Access Fitness Academy
PrO Unlimited
PRIMA Pediatrics
Hunt and Piech Dental Group
Differential Proteomics, Inc.
Massachusetts General Hospital
Target
World Parrot Trust
Centocor
Springborn Smithers Laboratories
World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF)
Red Cross Children's Hospital
MA Environmentally Preferable Products Procurement Program
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory
Amherst Regional Public Schools
Amgen Inc.
Amherst (Town of)
Who Could I Work For?
Some of the larger companies, government agencies, and industries that hire biology majors include:
Air Pollution Control
Center for Disease Control
Department of Agriculture
Fish and Wildlife Service
Dept of Health and Human Services
Land Use Planning Commission
Environmental Protection Agency
Food and Drug Administration
National Park Service
U.S. Forest Service
Peace Corps
Bio-medical device makers
Chemical manufacturers
Health clinics
Schools and Universities
Pharmaceutical companies
Public utilities
Research foundations
Testing labs
Scientific Journals
Helpful Links
Occupational Outlook Handbook www.bls.gov/ooh
Handshake https://umass.joinhandshake.com/
Office of Undergraduate Research & Studies https://www.umass.edu/ours/
UMASS PROPEL https://propel.umass.edu/
NSF REUs https://www.nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/reu
CapYear (pre-med/pre-health gap year opportunities) https://capyear.co/
CNS Career Center https://www.umass.edu/natural-sciences/student-success/careers
Mass Life Sciences Center Internship Challenge https://www.masslifesciences.com/programs/internship-challenge/
Careers at MassBio https://careers.massbio.org/
Forensic Science Jobs https://www.aafs.org/careers-forensic-science/career-opportunities
Biotech Careers https://www.biotech-careers.org/careers
Important Transferable Qualities To Include On Your Resume
Analytical skills. Biologists need to able to conduct scientific experiments and analyses with accuracy and precision.
Critical-thinking skills. Biologists draw conclusions from experimental results through sound reasoning and judgment.
Listening skills. Biologists must carefully follow the instructions of biochemists, microbiologists, and other scientists when carrying out experiments and analyses.
Observation skills. Biologists must constantly monitor their experiments. They need to keep a complete, accurate record of their work, such as the conditions under which the experiment was carried out, the procedures they followed, and the results they obtained.
Teamwork. Biologists work together on teams under the direction of biologists or other scientists.
Technical skills. Biologists must be able to set up and operate sophisticated equipment and instruments.
They also may need to adjust equipment to ensure that experiments are conducted properly.
Writing skills. Biologists must write reports that summarize their findings and results clearly.
What Do Employers Look For? (Source: NACE 2026 Job Outlook for Students)
Top 10 Skills Employers Seek on a Candidate’s Resume:
- Teamwork
- Problem-Solving
- Communication (verbal)
- Technical Skills
- Communication (written)
- Work Ethic
- Analytical/Quantitative Skills
- Initiative
- Leadership Potential
- Detail-Oriented