How to become a Biologist

Official title: Biologists

Also called: Aquatic Biologist, Biological Scientist, Biologist, Botanist, Fisheries and Wildlife Biologist, Fisheries Biologist, Marine Biologist, Research Biologist, Research Scientist, Scientist

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

Main tasks

• Program and use computers to store, process, and analyze data.
• Prepare technical and research reports, such as environmental impact reports, and communicate the results to individuals in industry, government, or the general public.
• Supervise biological technicians and technologists and other scientists.
• Develop and maintain liaisons and effective working relations with groups and individuals, agencies, and the public to encourage cooperative management strategies or to develop information and interpret findings.
• Identify, classify, and study structure, behavior, ecology, physiology, nutrition, culture, and distribution of plant and animal species.
• Study basic principles of plant and animal life, such as origin, relationship, development, anatomy, and function.
• Collect and analyze biological data about relationships among and between organisms and their environment.
• Review reports and proposals, such as those relating to land use classifications and recreational development, for accuracy, adequacy, or adherence to policies, regulations, or scientific standards.

How to become one

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Ways in

• College: Agriculture & Environment degrees, Offered by 26 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $98,920 a year The middle half earn $76,800 to $127,670.
• About 59,600 people work in this job now, and about 62,400 are projected by 2035. (+4.7%)
• People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Related jobs

• Biochemists and Biophysicists
• Microbiologists
• Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists
• Bioinformatics Scientists
• Molecular and Cellular Biologists
• Geneticists

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Biologist?

Ways in include: Agriculture & Environment degrees.

How much does a Biologist earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $98,920 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $76,800 to $127,670.

Is a Biologist a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2035, from about 59,600 to about 62,400 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Biologist?

Usually. 100% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Biologist?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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.