Online Education Options for Degrees in Biotechnology
People who choose to pursue an online biotechnology degree can expect to study biology and chemistry courses to begin with. With some online degree programs in biotechnology, a bachelor's degree in either biology or chemistry may be required. Associate and bachelor programs will usually combine biology and chemistry classes, as the field of biotechnology combines the fields of biology and chemistry. Courses in microbiology and human physiology would be good courses for someone desiring to learn biotechnology to choose. Once the basic courses are covered, a student can then move on to courses specifically focused in biotechnology research and development. Online education option for degrees in biotechnology cover a range of different areas and specialties, although some course work is standard among all degree programs.
Online options for biotechnology exist at the following levels:
- Online Associates Degree in Biotechnology and related fields
- Online Bachelor Degree in Biotechnology and related fields
- Online Master Degree in Biotechnology and related fields
- Online Doctorate Degree in Biotechnology and related fields
On-the-job training is common for the career, but most employers seek out biotechnologists with an educational background before they can be hired. Oftentimes, those employers will be looking for individuals with a bachelor's degree in biotechnology or higher. To secure some of the best jobs in biotechnology, such as pharmaceutical jobs, earning a master's degree in that specialization is typically the best plan of action.
Degrees in Biotechnology and Career and Salary Information
Career opportunities for people who have an online degree in biotechnology cover a wide range of spectrums. Biotechnologists are involved in the research and development for many new innovations for the modern world. Biotechnologists can find jobs in the fields of research, health care, environmental management and conservation, education, transgenic plants, bioremediation, pharmaceuticals, forensic science, and much more. The specific studies depend on the concentration of the job itself. Job growth is particularly active in pharmaceutical biotechnology and agricultural biotechnology. Jobs in monoclonal antibody technology, proteomics, and genetic engineering are some of the most recently emerged.
The starting salary range for entry-level positions in biotechnology is between $50,000 and $80,000. The Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows that people working with biotechnology as a whole earn a median annual salary close to $90,000. Biotechnologists with five to nine years of experience have a salary range of $50,000 to $95,000. Biologists with over thirty years of experience have a salary range of $70,000 to $110,000.