There are many opportunities open to molecular, cellular and developmental biology majors, including laboratory work in research, clinical, and diagnostic laboratories, as well as both research and manufacturing positions in biotechnology. Other possibilities include sales and service representatives for pharmaceutical, medical or laboratory products, positions in governmental agencies, technical editing and publishing, scientific illustration and a variety of management training programs. Students who earn Colorado teacher licensure will be qualified to apply for high school teaching positions in the state.
The molecular, cellular and developmental biology major provides a strong foundation for graduate and professional training. Graduate study in areas related to molecular, cellular and developmental biology can lead to academic faculty appointments, or to academic, governmental or industrial research positions. Professional degree programs include clinical or veterinary medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and other health-related professions, as well as forensic science and law. Other highly specialized fields that attract molecular, cellular and developmental biology graduates include genetic counseling, biomedical engineering, marine biology, biopsychology, and business.
Career Services offers free services for all CU Boulder degree-seeking students, and alumni up to one year after graduation, to help students discover who they are, what they want to do, and how to get there. They are the bridge between academics and the world of work by discussing major and career exploration, internship or job searching, and graduate school preparation.
According to the 2019-20 College Salary Report by PayScale Human Capital:
- The median salary for someone with a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cell biology and 0-5 years of experience is $78,000; and
- The median salary for 10-plus years of experience, $78,800.

The estimated median salaries,
as reported on Tableau, for Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology graduates for 1 to 5, 6 to 10, and over 11 years out from school.
At CU Boulder, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology graduates earn more than the nationwide average of comparable majors as reported by PayScale. CU Boulder alumni in this discipline earn an estimated annual salary of $90,404, based on a pool of 1215 alumni who graduated between 1989 and 2018. This amount, however, is roughly the same as the average for all CU Boulder graduates with a bachelor's degree, according to a survey by Esmi Alumni Insight of 25,000 alumni who graduated during the same stretch.
According to figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for microbiologists are expected to grow by 8 percent from 2016-2026, the same as the average for all jobs.