What do they do?

Research and study the inheritance of traits at the molecular, organism or population level. May evaluate or treat patients with genetic disorders.

Also known as:

Cardiovascular Geneticist, Medical Geneticist, Research Scientist, Scientist

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Biological Scientists, All Other is projected to grow 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, more slowly than average compared to all occupations.

Projected Employment For All United States

No Data Available
  • 3.8%

    Change

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    4,700

    Job Openings

    Select a state to see its net job growth ranking

Best colleges for Geneticists

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Colleges with the most graduates that become Geneticists

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Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • Bachelor's degree  (45%)
  • Master's degree  (32%)
  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (22%)
  • Associate's degree  (<1%)
  • Some college, no degree  (<1%)
  • High school diploma equivalent  (<1%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (<1%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Geneticists

Select Type of Degree:

  • #1
    • Degrees Granted

      79,503
    • Female Students

      53,804
    • Male Students

      25,699
    • Median Starting Salary

      $40,800
  • #2
    • Degrees Granted

      9,290
    • Female Students

      6,486
    • Male Students

      2,804
    • Median Starting Salary

      $42,090
  • #3
    • Degrees Granted

      3,734
    • Female Students

      3,077
    • Male Students

      657
    • Median Starting Salary

      $47,533
  • #4
    • Degrees Granted

      3,455
    • Female Students

      2,184
    • Male Students

      1,271
    • Median Starting Salary

      $42,090
  • #5
    • Degrees Granted

      1,827
    • Female Students

      1,374
    • Male Students

      453
    • Median Starting Salary

      $47,533

People in this career often have these skills:

  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
  • Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  • Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Supervise scientific or technical personnel.
  • Research genetic characteristics or expression.
  • Plan biological research.
  • Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
  • Record research or operational data.
  • Prepare proposal documents or grant applications.
  • Review professional literature to maintain professional knowledge.
  • Interpret research or operational data.
  • Attend conferences or workshops to maintain professional knowledge.
  • Analyze biological samples.
  • Research diseases or parasites.
  • Collaborate on research activities with scientists or technical specialists.
  • Instruct college students in physical or life sciences.
  • Train personnel in technical or scientific procedures.
  • Inspect equipment to ensure proper functioning.
  • Establish standards for medical care.
  • Develop software or applications for scientific or technical use.
  • Collaborate with technical specialists to resolve design or development problems.
  • Develop technical or scientific databases.
  • Plan natural resources conservation or restoration programs.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

careeronestop logo Videos: CareerOneStop, USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development

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