SOC 19-1029.01Bright outlook

    Bioinformatics Scientists

    Conduct research using bioinformatics theory and methods in areas such as pharmaceuticals, medical technology, biotechnology, computational biology, proteomics, computer information science, biology and medical informatics.

    Median pay
    $98,920
    Growth
    +4.7%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    4,300
    Typical education
    Bachelor's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections · figures for the broader BLS group "Biological scientists, all other"

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $60,430
    Median
    $98,920
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $168,010
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    55,850 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Bioinformatics Scientists use computational tools and biological theory to analyze genomic and other complex biological data. The median annual pay for this field is $98,920, with jobs expected to grow as fast as average.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What bioinformatics scientists do

    Job Zone 5: Extensive preparation

    Conduct research using bioinformatics theory and methods in areas such as pharmaceuticals, medical technology, biotechnology, computational biology, proteomics, computer information science, biology and medical informatics. May design databases and develop algorithms for processing and analyzing genomic information, or other biological information.

    Most need a graduate degree, such as a master's, PhD, MD or JD.

    What the work is like

    Bioinformatics Scientists spend their days working with computers to process, analyze, and interpret complex biological information. They design databases and develop algorithms to study data in areas like pharmaceuticals, medical technology, and biotechnology. This career strongly appeals to individuals with investigative interests who enjoy solving complex problems and thinking creatively to find patterns in scientific data.

    Success in this role requires a deep knowledge of biology, mathematics, chemistry, and computer science. Scientists must possess strong skills in critical thinking, reading comprehension, and active learning to keep up with scientific advancements. They must also be skilled at writing and speaking to explain their findings to others. Key work styles for this profession include intellectual curiosity, attention to detail, innovation, and perseverance when dealing with ambiguous data.

    How to get there

    To enter this career, the typical minimum education required is a bachelor's degree. However, the occupation demands extensive preparation, and most professionals in the field need a graduate degree, such as a master's degree, PhD, MD, or JD.

    Students preparing for this career typically choose college majors that bridge the life sciences and computational fields. Relevant majors include general biology, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, applied mathematics, biotechnology, neurobiology and neurosciences, physiology, pathology, and ecology.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for bioinformatics scientists is $98,920. The lowest 10% of earners in this field make less than $60,430, while the highest 10% earn more than $168,010. These wage figures represent the broader occupational group categorized by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as "Biological scientists, all other."

    There are 55,850 people employed in this field. Between the years 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 4.7%, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. This growth is expected to result in approximately 4,300 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    47 / 100
    Investigative (I) · strongest
    100 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    25 / 100
    Social (S)
    11 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    4 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    67 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code ICR. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Analyzing Data or Information
    96
    Working with Computers
    94
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    92
    Thinking Creatively
    91
    Processing Information
    88
    Getting Information
    86
    Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
    82
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    79
    Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information
    78
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    77
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Reading Comprehension
    • Active Listening
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Critical Thinking
    • Science
    • Speaking
    • Writing
    • Active Learning
    • Mathematics
    • Judgment and Decision Making

    Knowledge

    • Biology
    • Computers and Electronics
    • English Language
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Mathematics
    • Chemistry
    • Education and Training
    • Physics
    • Administration and Management
    • Design

    Abilities

    • Written Comprehension
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Written Expression
    • Fluency of Ideas
    • Information Ordering
    • Mathematical Reasoning
    • Oral Expression
    • Originality

    Work styles

    • Intellectual Curiosity
    • Attention to Detail
    • Innovation
    • Adaptability
    • Dependability
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Integrity
    • Perseverance
    • Tolerance for Ambiguity
    • Initiative

    Also called

    Bioinformatician · Bioinformaticist · Bioinformatics Associate · Bioinformatics Computer Scientist · Bioinformatics Developer · Bioinformatics Engineer · Bioinformatics Programmer · Bioinformatics Research Associate · Bioinformatics Research Scientist · Bioinformatics Research Specialist

    Career pathway

    From your interests to bioinformatics scientists

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Bioinformatics Scientists$98,920 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Harvard University logo
      Harvard University

      Cambridge, MA · Applied Mathematics · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $145,554
      4 yrs after
      $170,689
      Median debt
      Not reported
    2. 2Brown University logo
      Brown University

      Providence, RI · Applied Mathematics · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $135,449
      4 yrs after
      $157,822
      Median debt
      $8,125
    3. 3Stevens Institute of Technology logo
      Stevens Institute of Technology

      Hoboken, NJ · Applied Mathematics · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $105,295
      4 yrs after
      $156,419
      Median debt
      $23,250
    4. 4Northwestern University-Illinois logo
      Northwestern University-Illinois

      Evanston, IL · Applied Mathematics · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $148,740
      Median debt
      $17,250
    5. 5Dartmouth College logo
      Dartmouth College

      Hanover, NH · Neurobiology and Neurosciences · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $60,266
      4 yrs after
      $143,067
      Median debt
      Not reported
    6. 6Carlow University logo
      Carlow University

      Pittsburgh, PA · Biology, General · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $42,599
      4 yrs after
      $134,677
      Median debt
      $26,774
    7. 7Cornell University-New York logo
      Cornell University-New York

      Ithaca, NY · Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $124,242
      Median debt
      Not reported
    8. 8University of California-San Diego UCSD logo
      University of California-San Diego UCSD

      La Jolla, CA · Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $90,963
      4 yrs after
      $123,320
      Median debt
      $18,145

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What bioinformatics scientists may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work. Showing 12 of 64.

    • Anatomy
    • Animal Genetics
    • Animal Physiology
    • Aquatic Biology/Limnology
    • Behavioral Neuroscience
    • Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
    • Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Other
    • Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
    • Biology/Biological Sciences, General
    • Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Other
    • Biometry/Biometrics
    • Biostatistics

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about bioinformatics scientists

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What other job titles do Bioinformatics Scientists use?

    Professionals in this field may be called Bioinformaticians, Bioinformatics Developers, Bioinformatics Engineers, or Bioinformatics Programmers. Other common titles include Bioinformatics Research Scientists and Bioinformatics Computer Scientists.

    What are the main daily activities in this career?

    The daily work focuses heavily on analyzing data, working with computers, and processing information. Scientists spend their time updating their scientific knowledge, solving complex biological problems, and interpreting their findings for other team members.

    What related careers can I explore?

    If you are interested in this field, you might also explore roles as a Bioinformatics Technician, Data Scientist, Molecular and Cellular Biologist, or Geneticist. Other closely related options include Biostatisticians and Bioengineers.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.