Human Biology Degree
Students study the biology of the human body from an integrated perspective, combining anatomy, physiology, genetics, nutrition, and disease mechanisms with social and behavioral dimensions of health. Graduates typically pursue careers in healthcare, public health, biomedical research, health education, and as strong candidates for medical, dental, and public health graduate programs. This major provides more comprehensive pre-health preparation than traditional biology.
What Human Biology Graduates Do
Your Human Biology degree prepares you for a career at the intersection of laboratory science and human health. Initially, you might work as a biological scientist, spending your days designing experiments on cell cultures, analyzing genetic data to understand disease, or conducting field research on population health. With experience, you can advance to a natural sciences manager role, shifting from the microscope to coordinating entire research teams, setting project goals, and controlling budgets.
Another strong path is in academia as a biological science teacher, a field with healthy growth where you’ll mentor the next generation of scientists and lead your own research. Be aware that some related social science roles are contracting, making them more competitive. Across these careers, AI's impact is moderate but significant. Expect tools to automate routine data analysis and experiment logging, changing the day-to-day work substantially. Your value will shift from performing repetitive tasks to interpreting complex results and designing innovative research—making adaptability your key asset.
Common Career Paths
Where Human Biology graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 24,200 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Salary Range | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural sciences managers | 8,500 | +3.7% | 50% | |
| Social scientists and related workers, all other | 3,200 | -1.7% | 52% | |
| Biological scientists, all other | 4,800 | +1.2% | 49% | |
| Biological science teachers, postsecondary | 5,400 | +7.3% | 47% | |
| Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other | 1,500 | +1.7% | 0% | |
| Anthropologists and archeologists | 800 | +3.7% | 44% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).
Best Schools for Human Biology
10 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.
| # | School | DW Score | Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA |
45 47–45 |
$33,628/yr | 13.8x |
| 2 | Stanford University Stanford, CA |
42 39–43 |
$50,179/yr | 2.2x |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Green Bay, WI |
36 39–36 |
$28,493/yr | 15.7x |
| 4 | Brown University Providence, RI |
35 34–36 |
$42,162/yr | 1.8x |
| 5 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY |
30 33–31 |
$31,891/yr | 9.8x |
| 6 | Hamline University Saint Paul, MN |
28 28–29 |
$39,612/yr | 2.0x |
| 7 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA |
26 29–27 |
$31,488/yr | 5.2x |
| 8 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA |
21 23–22 |
$23,405/yr | 2.0x |
| 9 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD |
20 20–21 |
$19,916/yr | -0.2x |
| 10 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA |
15 14–16 |
$12,187/yr | 1.1x |
Highest Earning Human Biology Programs
Schools where Human Biology graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.
| School | 1-Year Earnings | DW Score |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | $50,179/yr | 42 |
| Brown University | $42,162/yr | 35 |
| Hamline University | $39,612/yr | 28 |
| University of California-Los Angeles | $33,628/yr | 45 |
| CUNY Hunter College | $31,891/yr | 30 |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $31,488/yr | 26 |
| University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | $28,493/yr | 36 |
| University of Southern California | $23,405/yr | 21 |
| Johns Hopkins University | $19,916/yr | 20 |
| University of California-Irvine | $12,187/yr | 15 |
Best ROI for Human Biology
Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Human Biology.
| School | ROI Multiple | Earnings | DW Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | 15.7x | $28,493/yr | 36 |
| University of California-Los Angeles | 13.8x | $33,628/yr | 45 |
| CUNY Hunter College | 9.8x | $31,891/yr | 30 |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 5.2x | $31,488/yr | 26 |
| Stanford University | 2.2x | $50,179/yr | 42 |
| Hamline University | 2.0x | $39,612/yr | 28 |
| University of Southern California | 2.0x | $23,405/yr | 21 |
| Brown University | 1.8x | $42,162/yr | 35 |
| University of California-Irvine | 1.1x | $12,187/yr | 15 |
| Johns Hopkins University | -0.2x | $19,916/yr | 20 |
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