# Genetics

> A general program that focuses on the scientific study of the organization, recombination, function, regulation, and transmission of heritable information in biological organisms at all levels of complexity. Includes instruction in Mendelian genetics, mechanisms of gene regulation, chromosome structure and replication, epigenetic phenomena, DNA repair and recombination, sex determination, genetic interactions between genomes, and molecular evolution.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/programs/genetics
- CIP code: 26.08 (Biological and Biomedical Sciences)
- Colleges offering it: 59 at its most common degree level

## Outcomes by degree level (College Scorecard, 2025)

| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings 1 yr | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median federal debt |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Certificate | 5 | not reported | not reported | $23,068 |
| Bachelor's | 27 | $39,703 | $63,767 | $18,882 |
| Master's | 59 | $78,939 | $112,403 | $45,050 |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 6 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Doctoral | 55 | not reported | $108,629 | not reported |
| First professional | 1 | $73,972 | not reported | $41,000 |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 17 | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Colleges whose graduates earn the most (Bachelor's)

Only programs with at least 10 graduates are listed.

| College | Location | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [University of New Hampshire](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-new-hampshire-main-campus-2980) | Durham, NH | $87,608 | $27,000 |
| [Rutgers University-New Brunswick](https://www.collegesref.com/college/rutgers-university-new-brunswick-main-campus-2279) | New Brunswick, NJ | $83,484 | $18,883 |
| [University of California-Davis](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-davis-2882) | Davis, CA | $77,411 | $14,666 |
| [University of Wisconsin-Madison](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-wisconsin-madison-main-campus-3084) | Madison, WI | $68,402 | $19,070 |
| [Ohio State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ohio-state-university-main-campus-2000) | Columbus, OH | $63,767 | $24,233 |
| [Texas A & M University-College Station](https://www.collegesref.com/college/texas-a-m-university-college-station-2694) | College Station, TX | $61,751 | $14,155 |
| [Michigan State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/michigan-state-university-1677) | East Lansing, MI | $55,404 | $18,750 |
| [North Carolina State University at Raleigh](https://www.collegesref.com/college/north-carolina-state-university-at-raleigh-1884) | Raleigh, NC | $55,319 | $16,614 |
| [Iowa State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/iowa-state-university-1305) | Ames, IA | $55,037 | $23,500 |

## Related careers (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk)

- [Clinical Research Coordinators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/clinical-research-coordinators): $167,220 median pay
- [Natural Sciences Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/natural-sciences-managers): $167,220 median pay
- [Water Resource Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/water-resource-specialists): $167,220 median pay
- [Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/medical-scientists-except-epidemiologists): $103,410 median pay
- [Genetic Counselors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/genetic-counselors): $100,040 median pay
- [Bioinformatics Scientists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/bioinformatics-scientists): $98,920 median pay
- [Biological Scientists, All Other](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biological-scientists-all-other): $98,920 median pay
- [Biologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biologists): $98,920 median pay
- [Geneticists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/geneticists): $98,920 median pay
- [Molecular and Cellular Biologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/molecular-and-cellular-biologists): $98,920 median pay
- [Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biological-science-teachers-postsecondary): $84,620 median pay
- [Biological Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biological-technicians): $57,510 median pay

## More in Biological and Biomedical Sciences

- [Biology, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/biology-general): 1,326 colleges
- [Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/biochemistry-biophysics-and-molecular-biology): 709 colleges
- [Neurobiology and Neurosciences](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/neurobiology-and-neurosciences): 316 colleges
- [Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/ecology-evolution-systematics-and-population-biology): 251 colleges
- [Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/physiology-pathology-and-related-sciences): 169 colleges
- [Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/biomathematics-bioinformatics-and-computational-biology): 119 colleges
- [Microbiological Sciences and Immunology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/microbiological-sciences-and-immunology): 111 colleges
- [Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/cell-cellular-biology-and-anatomical-sciences): 101 colleges

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
- NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/