CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Career opportunities for students with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology are excellent and the outlook for future demand is very good, due to expansion in the areas of biotechnology, an aging population with a greater need for medical care, the continuing threat of infectious diseases worldwide, and increased awareness of the potential use of bio-weapons.
DEPARTMENTAL STATISTICS
Departmental data indicate that a degree in microbiology from Colorado State is excellent preparation for a career in the life-sciences. We have been able to track almost two-thirds of the 654 students who have graduated from our microbiology program in the last eight years, and our data indicate that 89% of these graduates followed professional science-related careers; about half continued their education in a graduate or professional medical program and the other half obtained employment in a microbiology-related position.
GRADUATE AND MEDICAL PROGRAMS
Colorado State microbiology graduates have been admitted to graduate and professional medical programs throughout the country, including some of the nation’s most prestigious institutions, such as Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Harvard, Loyola, Stanford, Tulane, and Vanderbilt Universities. (Graduate and professional medical programs admitting Colorado State graduates with a B.S. in microbiology in the last eight years.)
Graduate Programs: Our graduates have been admitted into MS and PhD programs in a variety of disciplines, including microbiology, virology, immunology, molecular biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, biotechnology, neuroanatomy, biophysics, cancer biology, forensic science, public health, and education.
Medical and Veterinary School: Our curriculum for a degree in microbiology meets or exceeds the academic requirements for admission into most medical and veterinary schools.
Other Medical Programs: In addition to medical and veterinary school, our graduates are well prepared to enter medically-related programs that require education beyond the B.S. degree, such as dentistry, optometry, physician assistant, pharmacy, nursing, and medical technology /clinical laboratory scientist programs.
DIRECT CAREER ENTRY
Better than 75% of our graduates who we know went into a career directly following graduation obtained positions working in microbiology or a closely-related field. Most positions are laboratory-based and are in the following types of agencies: research institutions, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, food and beverage processing companies, and government public health agencies. The Denver metro area is becoming a regional center for life science companies, and many hire microbiologists. (CBSA Directory of Colorado Life Sciences Companies)
Laboratory experience enhances a graduate’s credentials for entry into permanent full-time employment. A number of Colorado employers have stated that they preferentially hire microbiology majors from Colorado State because of their solid academic preparation and research laboratory experience.
Starting salaries with a B.S. degree in microbiology vary, depending on factors such as the applicant’s experience, the type of position, and the location of the employer. Typically, salaries are higher for positions in industry and in regions of the country with a higher cost of living. (Go to Homefair.com for a quick comparison of living costs nationally.)
In Colorado, recent annual salaries for entry-level positions have ranged from about $25,000 to $38,000. (List of employers hiring Colorado State graduates with a B.S. in microbiology in the last eight years.)
Research Institutions: Microbiologists perform basic scientific research, often in the area of infectious disease.
Industry: Microbiologists are involved in the areas of quality control/quality assurance, bio-process and manufacturing operations, and product research and development. Microbiologists may also be employed by companies as technical support, sales, and consulting personnel.
Diagnostic/Clinical Laboratories: Microbiologists characterize pathogens isolated from patient samples.
Government Public Health Agencies: Agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Agriculture, and state and local health departments employ microbiologists in areas such as basic research, diagnostics, and disease surveillance and control.
COLORADO STATE CAREER CENTER
The CSU Career Center offers a number of services
to help Colorado State students choose a major, prepare application materials, practice for interviews, research graduate programs, and find current job openings. The Career Center also hosts several career fairs each year.
