You may be able to acquire a diverse set of talents that will help you land a rewarding profession by taking a variety of courses in college. For individuals who pursue specialized studies in subjects like biology majors and chemistry, there are several employment opportunities available. Finding out what careers are open to those who major in biology and minor in chemistry might help you acquire the knowledge and abilities required to thrive in your area.
To assist you in selecting a career that complements your academic background, we’ve listed careers for biology majors and chemistry minors in this article, along with descriptions of each position’s pay and duties.
Jobs in the biology majors and chemistry
Below are some employment options for persons with biology majors biology and a minor in chemistry:
- Medical/health services
- Biotechnology
- Laboratory or research work
- Pharmaceutical marketing and sales
- Education
Positions with a biology major and chemistry minor
Here are careers that a biology major and chemistry minor can pursue:
1. A tour guide
National average yearly salary: $32,214
A tour guide guides tourists around tourist destinations and other interesting sites like museums, districts, or establishments. To keep visitors interested during their tours, guides may share tales, trivia, or historical information about various parts of the site. They may also respond to inquiries and create itineraries that effectively cover the most fascinating or significant features of the region. Biology majors and chemistry graduates may be qualified to offer tours of research institutes, museums, or other open scientific institutions.
2. Food inspector
National average yearly salary: $37,564
A food tester is a professional with biology majors in the food and beverage business who conducts quantitative and qualitative examinations of packaged foods. To ensure that it satisfies quality requirements and adheres to industry laws, they may analyze or examine a product’s appearance, texture, flavor, or nutritional composition. Additionally, they might test flavors, preservatives, and other compounds that are used in food. When determining and assessing the chemical and physical characteristics of food, a food tester frequently applies elements of the scientific method.
3. Research Assistant
National average yearly salary: $41,941
The major responsibilities of a research technician with biology majors are to assemble, run, and maintain lab apparatus for the benefit of scientists conducting research projects. They might maintain track of crucial observations and results while keeping an eye on experiments. They can also help researchers with other crucial facets of managing a lab, like procuring supplies, keeping tabs on inventory, or adhering to safety and sanitation regulations.
4. A marketing partner
National average yearly salary: $46,787
A marketing associate’s main responsibilities are to plan, develop, and put into practice an advertising and promotional strategy. They might publish on corporate social media, write blog articles or other material, investigate market trends, or examine customer satisfaction statistics and behavior, among other things. While a marketing associate might use their abilities to assist in putting various firms’ marketing strategies into action, individuals with a science-related background may operate in pharmaceutical marketing or for scientific establishments like labs, museums, or schools.
5. A high school instructor
National average yearly salary: $47,418
An educator who works with pupils in high school has the following main responsibilities. They can concentrate on a subject like math, physics, or English. More specific subjects like chemistry or biology majors might also be taught by them. A high school teacher could teach study techniques and offer general life counsel or assistance to help pupils achieve because their students could attend university or become employed after graduating. To assess student learning, they might also build projects, tests, and teaching materials.
6. Technician in forensic science
National average yearly salary: $49,000
A forensic science technician with a biology major collects forensic evidence or analyzes evidence in a lab to assist in the conclusion of criminal investigations. They might do tests, maintain equipment, and gather data. They might also help forensic scientists make inferences based on the evidence. A forensic science technician with expertise in crime scene investigation can collect evidence from crime scenes without contaminating it by following defined protocols and using standardized tools.
7. Tutor
National average yearly salary: $54,182
A tutor with a biology major works with a student one-on-one or in a small group to provide supplemental, individualized instruction in an area of study. A tutor can offer assistance outside of the classroom by reviewing a student’s assignments and developing lesson plans that specifically address any areas of difficulty or misunderstanding. They might also provide clarification and aid in the development of study techniques.
8. An environmentalist
National average yearly salary: $61,281
Environmental scientist with biology majors utilizes their education and expertise in natural and ecological science to support studies and initiatives that advance legislation protecting the environment. They might gather environmental data, produce study samples, evaluate environmental dangers, design prevention strategies, or offer policymakers advice regarding the public health and environmental requirements of a location. They might also do fieldwork to clean up pollution, put in the required equipment, or inform the public to benefit the environment.
9. The forest ranger
National average yearly salary: $61,339
A forest warden’s main responsibilities include protecting and maintaining local, state, and national parks. They are also referred to as park rangers or forest rangers. They might take care of park infrastructure, remove waste or rubbish, and police local or federal laws and regulations. To involve and inform tourists, they could also create and manage educational activities. A forest warden may occasionally investigate, put out, and give resources for putting out wildfires.
10. A teacher of elementary school
National average yearly salary: $64,552
Elementary school teachers with biology majors are trained educators who work with students in kindergarten to fifth grade. Their main responsibilities are teaching those students. They might focus on teaching a particular grade level and a subject like science or mathematics. They might also instruct pupils in a variety of subjects. They could design lesson plans and exercises to keep students learning. Additionally, they could establish and uphold behavioral norms and guidelines for the classroom and use tests and projects to assess students’ success.
11. A pharmaceutical salesperson
National average yearly salary: $68,878
A pharmaceutical salesperson with a biology major is a salesperson who sells medications and other pharmaceutical goods or equipment for use by physicians or other healthcare professionals. A pharmaceutical salesperson may provide details regarding the chemical makeup, uses, adverse effects, and possible interactions of the drug while frequently traveling to meet with medical professionals. While this position may entail sales responsibilities like appealingly presenting items, receiving orders, or keeping track of inventory, it could also call for a solid background in chemistry and biology to appropriately deliver pharmacological information.
12. Researcher
National average yearly salary: $71,659
A researcher’s main responsibilities include gathering, organizing, analyzing, and interpreting data to make judgments on various study issues and themes. Working in a range of scientific disciplines, a researcher may plan experiments, obtain funds, find participants or subjects, and carry out any other duties required to conduct an effective experiment. To keep up with developments in their profession, researchers with biology majors might read specialized journals and publications, publish their discoveries, and give presentations at conferences for the industry.
13. Data scientist
National average yearly salary: $75,167
A data scientist’s main responsibilities include processing, modeling, and analyzing data to make judgments. A data scientist with a biology major who works for several companies and industries might spot possibilities to learn more through data research. To identify the appropriate data sets and factors and arrive at an answer that can be taken action on, they may construct research problems or questions. They can find significant patterns and trends as a result of this.
14. Chemist
National average yearly salary: $75,966
The main tasks of a chemist with biology majors are to comprehend chemicals or make new compounds using their understanding of chemical processes. They may conduct tests on substances or materials to learn more about their chemical composition and how it impacts the substance’s use or look. They can also create chemical alterations to make items safer or more efficient. They might work in laboratories, factories, or any other sector that needs workers who are knowledgeable about the chemical composition of materials.
15. Biologist
National average yearly salary: $78,608
The main responsibilities of a biologist with a biology major include studying people, plants, animals, and the environment. They may carry out studies and analyses about living things while working in a range of fields and industries. Research in the fields of medicine, nutrition, infectious illnesses, public health, and environmental assessment studies are a few examples of the kinds of studies they might perform. Their work may range in focus from knowledge at the molecular level to ecosystem analyses. A policy aimed at enhancing the condition of the natural environment and its people might frequently be inspired by this study.
16. Scientist
National average yearly salary: $86,648
The main responsibilities of a scientist with a biology major include conducting or gathering data for research that makes generalizations about the world in the natural, environmental, biological, chemical, or social sciences. They might work in a lab, out in the field, in production, or for other businesses. They can formulate questions relevant to their profession, generate and test hypotheses, examine the evidence, and reach meaningful conclusions by applying the scientific method. While scientists frequently focus on a single field, they occasionally complete multidisciplinary projects or engage with experts in other fields to address challenging research challenges.
16. A medical technician
National average yearly salary: $91,123
Medical laboratory tests with biology majors are carried out by medical technologists, as one of their main responsibilities is to help other healthcare workers understand biological and chemical components and materials. A medical technologist’s duties may also include using any equipment required for sample analysis and gathering and analyzing blood, tissue, or body fluid samples. They might have to adhere to rigid testing guidelines and deadlines because of this.
17. Teacher
National average yearly salary: $24,064
The primary responsibilities of a teacher with biology majors include assisting students in learning about a certain subject. Both chemistry and biology can be taught by those who major in biology and minor in chemistry. Curriculum design, classroom management, assessing student work, science fair preparation, and teaching lab safety to guarantee responsible experimentation are all part of the job description.
18. Veterinary Assistant
National average yearly salary: $30,637
The main responsibilities of a veterinary assistant with a biology major include assisting veterinarians in a private hospital or vet clinic. These experts assess animals and record their vital signs similar to a nurse. Other duties include acquiring samples, compiling medical histories, giving prescriptions, providing first aid in an emergency, and getting animals ready for surgery.
19. A technical writer
National average yearly salary: $58,280
The main responsibilities of a technical writer with a biology major include converting difficult textual content into clear documentation. Technical documentation is created, reviewed, updated, and maintained for an organization. Technical writers also compose developer manuals, critique already-written material, research products, gather user reviews, and regulate content for usage on all platforms.
20. Food scientist
National average yearly salary: $68,830
The main responsibilities of a food scientist with a biology major include using biology majors and chemistry to examine the constituent parts of food and comprehend how it degrades. To develop ways to enhance processed foods, researchers examine the nutritional value, texture, and flavor of food. To ensure that food manufacturing practices adhere to government-industry requirements, job responsibilities may include investigating alternative production techniques, developing new food items, and testing food and beverages for hazardous germs.
21. Biologist for wildlife
National average yearly salary: $69,831.
The main responsibilities of a biologist with a biology major include animal and behavioral research. To assist in population management, this entails examining their ecosystems and habitats. Performing research studies, researching the spread of animal diseases, developing strategies for the use of land and water, assessing how surrounding businesses affect wildlife, preserving endangered species, and publishing research papers are just a few of the duties.
22. Laboratory director
National average yearly salary: $73,269
A laboratory manager’s main responsibilities include controlling operations at a lab. They oversee inventory levels and make sure that each team member is properly trained to utilize the lab’s equipment. Additionally, job responsibilities include overseeing sample disposal, organizing shifts for team members, maintaining specialist software, enforcing health and safety requirements, and updating laboratory safety plans.
23. Chemist for water
National average yearly salary: $76,420
A water chemist’s principal responsibilities include analyzing and upholding the water’s quality for consumption and other applications. This entails determining possible pollutants and ensuring the safety of water processed at a filtration plant. Other duties can include gathering samples, reviewing trends in data, keeping track of a body of water’s status, and creating a method to remove toxins from a water body.
24. Nurse
National average yearly salary: $85,026
Taking care of patients and assisting in the treatment of their illnesses are a nurse’s main responsibilities. They collaborate closely with physicians to provide customized treatment programs for patients. Other duties include keeping track of patients’ health, learning about their health information, educating others about their illness, taking their blood pressure, writing in their medical records, and giving them medication.
25. Pharmaceutical scientist
National average yearly salary: $86,645
A pharmaceutical scientist’s main responsibilities include drug discovery, development, testing, and manufacturing. To make pharmaceuticals safe and effective, researchers also study how patients respond to various medications. Additionally, performing studies to ascertain a drug’s function, working with team members, gathering and evaluating data, and updating pharmaceutical corporations on new findings are all possible job responsibilities.
26. Medical laboratory technician
National average yearly salary: $$91,192
A medical lab technician’s or clinical laboratory scientist’s main responsibilities include carrying out intricate tests and procedures to assist medical experts in the diagnosis and treatment of ailments. Samples of body fluids and other materials are collected, examined, and findings are discussed with doctors. Labeling samples, carrying out tests by protocols, running experiments to examine hypotheses, recording results, and maintaining lab equipment are only a few responsibilities of the work.
27. Biochemist
National average yearly salary: $94,270
A biochemist’s main responsibilities are to investigate chemical reactions as well as how they connect to living things. To advance the study of cells, creatures, plants, and people, this type of scientist integrate biology majors and chemistry. Planning research initiatives, leading lab teams, analyzing the makeup of live organisms, examining the effects of drugs on biological processes, and analyzing results with colleagues are just a few examples of responsibilities.
28. Biotech consultant
National average yearly salary: $131,734
A biotech consultant’s main responsibilities include sharing their expertise with management at biotechnology companies and giving them advice on how to increase productivity and create new products. They may work on their own or for a consultancy firm. Biotech consultants analyze financial information, examine equipment, and look for possibilities for development while observing an organization’s present production cycles.
29. Chemical Technicians
National average yearly salary: $49,820
Chemical engineers and chemists with biology majors are helped set up laboratories by chemical technicians. They conduct tests, and necessary equipment, and mix organic solvents. Many people work in biopharmaceuticals or testing labs. You would be a crucial component of a research team tasked with creating novel pharmaceuticals or improving production techniques. An associate degree can be used to find entry-level positions.
30. Forensic Scientists
National average yearly salary: $37,674 to $48,978
Forensic science organizations like the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or FBI, need chemistry minors. While tasks differ depending on the company, evaluating evidence from crime scenes is a frequent part of this profession. A strong basis for forensic science jobs is provided by various biology majors, like forensic psychology or entomology, together with a chemistry minor.
You might carry out intricate, clinical experiments in a lab or be summoned to a crime scene to examine the chemical composition of suspicious chemicals, piece together the events of a crime by analyzing saliva, fiber, or skin fragments, or exclude suspects based on information like blood type.
31. Engineering chemists
National average yearly salary: $108,540
Programs in chemical engineering cover physics, biology, and chemistry. Chemical engineers’ responsibilities vary greatly based on their employment and area of specialization. The main responsibilities of a chemical engineer include creating safety protocols for handling hazardous materials, performing research to advance manufacturing, creating gas and liquid separation techniques, and using biochemical processes to create electrical currents.
32. Specialists in Drug and Food Testing
National average yearly salary: $46,083to $79,468
Institutions like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, hire individuals who have completed at least 30 semester hours of chemistry to help with lab experiments. It’s a crucial job to work in a laboratory for the FDA. You would be in charge of assisting in making sure the country’s food supply is secure, hygienic, and healthy as well as that product labels are accurate and that pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and other products are both secure and efficient.
Conclusion
According to the University of Kansas, or KU, individuals who are interested in pursuing graduate degrees in subjects like medicine, law, the biological sciences, or business frequently get a minor in chemistry to give themselves a competitive edge. It might be a little easier to get through your first year of medical school if you study the basics of chemistry. The ability to think logically and analytically, which is developed through chemistry courses, is also advantageous in the practice of law. A lawyer managing a scandal regarding a medical negligence lawsuit involving dosage errors or hazardous drug interactions may find it helpful to have chemistry knowledge.
Frequently Asked Questions in biology majors
- Do you think majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry make sense?
A biology major goes perfectly with a minor in chemistry. Beyond being advantageous, a chemistry minor is also highly popular among biology majors. This is because a chemistry minor may support a solid intellectual background for an in-depth comprehension of biological systems.
The foundational biology courses in neuroscience, molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, protein biology, toxicology, genomics, proteomics, genetics, and other biological topics may benefit from a chemistry minor. This is because the vast majority of biology topics demand in-depth familiarity with chemistry and its molecular underpinnings. The majority of universities include chemistry as a demand minor for biology majors.
Additionally, choosing a chemistry minor is strongly advised for people who want to work in the fields of medicine, medical sciences, nanotechnology, or biotechnology or undertake biological science research. The combination of a biology degree and a chemistry minor would also significantly benefit additional education or a job in pharmaceutical sciences.
- Does chemistry as a minor have any use?
A chemistry minor is a great complement to various science degrees, including those in physics and biology. Additionally, it is helpful for pre-professional degrees like those leading to law school.
- Do chemistry and biology go well together?
Combined biology and chemistry
Chemistry and biology are inextricably linked. As you study both topics in depth in the courses on this path, you’ll gain a more comprehensive scientific understanding of how life works on many different levels.
Elizabeth is a seasoned content writer with multiple years of experience writing on different topics under the general terms of scholarship, academics, business management, and human resource management and development.
She has a degree in Mass Communication and other relevant certifications.