Jobs for the Major
How this major affects a job search
People with microbiology majors usually roll right past the unemployment line. It will likely remain an unfamiliar place to them. That alone should evoke some envy, but let's not stop there: Microbiology majors are also generally happy with their careers. While using money for confetti is great and all, being happy is also pretty important. What good is all that money if you'll only use it to wipe away tears, anyway?
Because of the mix of science classes you'll take, you'll be marketable to most things involving science, but don't expect to spearhead a project that's taking on a major disease right away. Leave that for the more specialized folks—ones with advanced degrees and years of experience. Yes siree, experience is your best bud. You'll want to build up your resume extra early on with internships and fellowships. Showing a potential employer that you're familiar with (and a fan of) the sterile lab environment is a big step.
Ultimately, the outlook on jobs is pretty good for all the potential microbiology students out there. The trouble with getting a job will be more along the lines of which job to take. Ugh, so many choices. How annoying.
Common Career Fields
Brewmaster: Sam Adams, Guinness, and Sierra Nevada all have major responsibilities when it comes to producing high-quality beverages. At the helm of each brewery is a person that oversees their entire production: the brewmaster. This is definitely one of the biggest shockers when it comes to microbiology career possibilities, and what a hoppy delight it is. On top of being a lot of fun, it is also a lot of work, so expect to see some long hours.
Marine Biologist: A six-year-old boy pictures himself swimming with dolphins. Nice image, sure, but it could also be the birth of a dream…the dream of becoming a marine biologist. That little boy could grow up to be the one who saves the manatee population, or who figures out if Megashark really could beat Giant Octopus in a fight to the death (although we know what happens—we've seen the movie). He just needs to major in microbiology, and a second degree in marine biology wouldn't hurt.
Pathologist: Say you've got a nasty lump on your arm and need to get it checked out. The dermatologist has an idea, but you're convinced the cream he gave you doesn't work. This is where a pathologist comes in handy. To most people, examining abnormal growth and infected tissue sounds like an episode of Dirty Jobs, but this is what pathologists do for a living. Hey, a microscope and some expertise sound a lot better than bloodletting.
Research Scientist: All the scientific breakthroughs that we see come off the bent and broken backs of researchers. These people are on the front line when it comes to beating back the ever-present nuisance of disease. Getting a paper published is a big deal, but compare that to being on the team that cures cancer. Uh, yeah. Big deal. But even if you don't cure some major disease, you can do some seriously great work for the world.
Toxicologist: Toxicologists are all about toxins. For example, when a police officer needs to know how much poison was in a person's body when they kicked the bucket, saying "probably a lot" just doesn't fly. That might've worked in the 1920s, but in our age of technology, we won't settle for that. When this information is needed, a toxicologist is consulted to clear things up. That toxicologist then runs tests to determine what really happened that fateful night. Our bet is on Colonel Mustard in the dining room.
Virologist: No matter who you are, we can all unite under the hatred of getting sick. We can all complain about a runny nose. It's like how everyone loves pizza; it binds us together as humans. While having pizza with the world sounds great, eradicating harmful viruses is a close second on the awesome scale. Virologists spend their days studying the structure and behavior of viruses in the hopes of mitigating their dastardly effects on us, so way to go, virologists.
Zoo Director: This is another career that might seem strange for a microbiologist. "But Shmoop, you said microbiologists were into small stuff." Okay, yes, valid point. However, you've got to know the microscopic organisms to help the big organisms, like lions and tigers and bears, oh my. Plus, when you're directing your own workforce at a zoo, your background in microbiology will help keep your workers supported from the top.
Current unemployment of the major
5.6%Percentage of majors who get a higher degree after college
54%Stats obtained from this source.