Biologists

Research or study basic principles of plant and animal life, such as origin, relationship, development, anatomy, and functions.

What They Do

Biologists spend their days investigating living organisms to understand how they function, develop, and interact with their environments. They design and conduct experiments, collect samples from various ecosystems, and analyze data using sophisticated laboratory equipment and computer software. A typical day might involve examining specimens under microscopes, recording observations of animal behavior in the field, culturing cells in a lab, or running DNA analyses to study genetic patterns. They maintain detailed records of their findings, write research papers, and often collaborate with other scientists on complex projects.

Programs That Prepare You

College programs linked to this occupation, ranked by graduate earnings

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology(masters)University of Pennsylvania, PA

Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences(masters)Duke University, NC

Biology(masters)Johns Hopkins University, MD

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology(masters)University of Washington-Seattle Campus, WA

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology(masters)Harvard University, MA

Applied Mathematics(masters)Vanderbilt University, TN

Applied Mathematics(masters)Johns Hopkins University, MD

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology(doctoral)University of California-San Francisco, CA

Applied Mathematics(bachelors)Harvard University, MA

Pharmacology and Toxicology(professional)Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus, NJ

Biology(doctoral)Rutgers University-New Brunswick, NJ

Biology(doctoral)Rutgers University-Newark, NJ

Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology(masters)New York University, NY

Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology(masters)Columbia University in the City of New York, NY

Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology(masters)University of Chicago, IL

Applied Mathematics(bachelors)Brown University, RI

Applied Mathematics(masters)University of Washington-Seattle Campus, WA

Applied Mathematics(bachelors)Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ

Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology(grad-cert)Columbia University in the City of New York, NY

Biology(doctoral)Johns Hopkins University, MD

Applied Mathematics(bachelors)Northwestern University, IL

Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology(masters)Oregon Health & Science University, OR

Pharmacology and Toxicology(masters)Michigan State University, MI

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology(doctoral)Johns Hopkins University, MD

Applied Mathematics(bachelors)Columbia University in the City of New York, NY

Related Careers

Other occupations in Life, Physical & Social Science