Biotechnology Major — Salary & ROI 2026
Application of biological systems and organisms to develop products and technologies.
Starting Salary
$50K
median
Mid-Career
$90K
salary
ROI Payback
4.8 yrs
avg payback
Unemployment
3.2%
rate
Biotechnology Overview
Application of biological systems and organisms to develop products and technologies.
Category
STEM
Degree Level
Bachelor's
Graduation Rate
65%
Enrollment Trend
growing
Online Available
Limited
Underemployment
18%
Lifetime Premium
$650K
Female Graduates
50%
Biotechnology Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your actual return on investment based on school type and scholarships.
0 to $40K/year in aid
Est. Total Cost
$19,800
4-year tuition
Net Cost (w/ aid)
$19,800
after scholarships
ROI Payback
1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return
$630,200
Lifetime earnings premium ($650,000) minus net degree cost ($19,800)
Biotechnology Salary Progression
Common Biotechnology Careers
Biotechnologist
Bioinformatics Analyst
Lab Manager
Top Employers
Skills You'll Learn
Top Schools for Biotechnology
#1
MIT
#2
Stanford
#3
Johns Hopkins
#4
UC San Diego
#5
University of Pennsylvania
Related Majors
Biotechnology Degree FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Enrollment and graduation data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES/IPEDS). Tuition estimates based on College Board Annual Survey of Colleges. Last updated March 2026.
Biotechnology Programs by City
Tuition, salary outcomes, and cost of living for biotechnology programs vary by city. See your local numbers:
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