by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Mathematical Biology involves the study of Mathematical Biology. A Program That Focuses On The Application Of Mathematics To Genomics, Molecular Modeling, Structural Biology, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology And Systems Of Analysis Of Neurobiology, Physiology, And Metabolism. Includes Instruction In Computational Mathematics, Chaos And Nonlinear Systems, Perturbation Methods, Evolutionary Biology, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, And Neurobiology. Continue reading for the key facts every mathematical biology major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering mathematical biology programs.
Nationwide, mathematical biology is a popular field of study, with 16 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Mathematical Biology Schools ranking analyzes these 4 schools to determine the best overall colleges for mathematical biology students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of mathematical biology programs later in this article.
Programs in Mathematical Biology emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations mathematical biology graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a mathematical biology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a mathematical biology major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several mathematical biology degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 8 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 8 |
People currently working in careers related to mathematical biology tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 50.8% |
| Master’s degree | 22.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 8.1% |
| Doctoral degree | 7.3% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.1% |
| Some college courses | 1.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.3% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.5% |
| First professional degree | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in mathematical biology careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in mathematical biology opens doors to many career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to mathematical biology.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to mathematical biology.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Business Intelligence Analysts | 585,851 | 1.3% |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | 542,888 | 10.4% |
| Data Scientists | 507,848 | 8.1% |
| Bioinformatics Technicians | 434,408 | -2.4% |
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | 358,631 | -0.2% |
| Clinical Data Managers | 300,656 | -0.9% |
| Geneticists | 183,832 | -1.1% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 179,495 | 8.7% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of mathematical biology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $69,764 |
| 4 years | $85,594 |
| 5 years | $100,060 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for mathematical biology graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers mathematical biology grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Water Resource Specialists | $179,716 |
| Business Intelligence Analysts | $143,840 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $132,227 |
| Bioinformatics Technicians | $121,896 |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | $110,931 |
| Data Scientists | $106,295 |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | $100,077 |
| Clinical Data Managers | $99,475 |
With 4 different mathematical biology programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased mathematical biology school rankings to help you.
Students interested in mathematical biology, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Financial Mathematics | 5,335 |
| Applied Mathematics, General | 4,209 |
| Computational and Applied Mathematics | 824 |
| Computational Mathematics | 397 |
| Applied Mathematics, Other | 221 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
