Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 26.04. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 381 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 4 | 61 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | $25,849 1 programs |
| Associate's degree | 4 | 6 | $42,671 | $75,809 | $13,006 1 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 109 | 4,680 | $41,457 | $66,697 | $18,286 32 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 127 | 660 | $53,552 | $76,837 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 119 | 813 | $81,378 | $99,578 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 2 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 13 | 135 | $35,858 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| National University CA · Private, nonprofit · 33 graduates measured | $42,417 | $77,786 | $13,006 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parker University TX · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $56,194 | $52,681 | $17,625 |
| University of Rhode Island RI · Public · 48 graduates measured | $54,388 | $77,681 | $18,250 |
| Northeastern University MA · Private, nonprofit · 47 graduates measured | $54,192 | Data unavailable | $19,500 |
| San Francisco State University CA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $52,038 | $74,482 | Data unavailable |
| University of California-Berkeley CA · Public · 467 graduates measured | $49,561 | $66,577 | $12,114 |
| University of Puget Sound WA · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $49,006 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Harvard University MA · Private, nonprofit · 35 graduates measured | $48,738 | $117,816 | Data unavailable |
| University of California-Santa Barbara CA · Public · 30 graduates measured | $48,186 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| California State University-San Marcos CA · Public · 49 graduates measured | $47,535 | $80,303 | $10,190 |
| University of California-Santa Cruz CA · Public · 192 graduates measured | $47,445 | $69,849 | $15,000 |
| University of Connecticut CT · Public · 81 graduates measured | $46,814 | $73,120 | $20,296 |
| University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus CT · Public · 81 graduates measured | $46,814 | $73,120 | $20,296 |
| University of Connecticut-Avery Point CT · Public · 81 graduates measured | $46,814 | $73,120 | $20,296 |
| University of Connecticut-Stamford CT · Public · 81 graduates measured | $46,814 | $73,120 | $20,296 |
| University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus CT · Public · 81 graduates measured | $46,814 | $73,120 | $20,296 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of New Haven CT · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $72,896 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Southern California CA · Private, nonprofit · 42 graduates measured | $64,560 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Quinnipiac University CT · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $50,981 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Tulane University of Louisiana LA · Private, nonprofit · 63 graduates measured | $42,020 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus CO · Public · 20 graduates measured | $34,360 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Doctoral degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown University RI · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $120,287 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Pennsylvania PA · Private, nonprofit · 38 graduates measured | $96,386 | $139,980 | Data unavailable |
| Northwestern University IL · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $86,257 | $117,797 | Data unavailable |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor MI · Public · 16 graduates measured | $71,586 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of California-Berkeley CA · Public · 22 graduates measured | $65,504 | $123,231 | Data unavailable |
| University of California-Merced CA · Public · 18 graduates measured | $64,613 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Graduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma State University-Main Campus OK · Public · 19 graduates measured | $33,996 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural sciences managers | $167,220 | +8.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Biochemists and biophysicists | $127,410 | +12.3% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Microbiologists | $87,990 | +6.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Biological scientists, all other | $98,920 | +4.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Epidemiologists | $87,220 | +18.7% | Master's degree |
| Medical scientists, except epidemiologists | $103,410 | +12.6% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Biological technicians | $57,510 | +7.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Biological science teachers, postsecondary | $84,620 | +7.3% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | $107,310 | +17.9% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (6)
- 26.0401 Cell/Cellular Biology and Histology
- 26.0403 Anatomy
- 26.0404 Developmental Biology and Embryology
- 26.0406 Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
- 26.0407 Cell Biology and Anatomy
- 26.0499 Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other