What can you do with a Biology degree from California State University San Marcos?

First, some facts. Of the Biology graduates from California State University San Marcos we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:

These are estimates based on AI analysis of 11 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Slightly above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 68%, Biology graduates from California State University San Marcos have a slightly higher likelihood (+1%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

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Also, after graduating, 36% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests you may need more than just a Bachelors degree to be competitive as a Biology graduate.

See the details:

• What jobs can you get with a Biology degree from California State University San Marcos?
• What do Biology graduates from California State University San Marcos do 1, 5 or 10 years out?
• How hard is a Biology degree from California State University San Marcos? How long does it take?
• How much money can you make with a Biology degree from California State University San Marcos?
• What are the best colleges for Biology?

View a random Biology graduate from California State University San Marcos and our analysis:

Relevance score: 77% We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree. DEGREE INFO Graduated in 2015 from California State University San Marcos with a Bachelor's Degree in Biology. No other secondary education since. JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION Clinical Lab Associate II Genoptix, Inc. Feb 2016 - Jul 2019 The role of Clinical Lab Associate II directly utilizes knowledge in biology and laboratory skills gained from the Bachelor's degree in Biology, requiring specific expertise in clinical practices regularly. Clinical Lab Associate II Invivoscribe Jul 2019 - Jul 2020 As a Clinical Lab Associate II at Invivoscribe, this position also requires biological knowledge and lab skills that align closely with the educational background in Biology, emphasizing relevant qualifications. Compliance Liaison Aya Healthcare Feb 2021 - Jun 2022 The Compliance Liaison role may involve some understanding of biological data and regulatory aspects related to health care, but it does not primarily require biology-specific knowledge as a core qualification. Compliance Associate Aya Healthcare May 2022 - Present The Compliance Associate position involves ensuring adherence to regulations that may relate to biological products, but does not directly utilize the core skills learned in a Biology degree on a daily basis. ABOUT No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Biology degree from California State University San Marcos?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:

• Paramedical Examiner
• Clinical Lab Associate II
• Operations Coordinator
• ESL Teacher
• Food Server
• Administrative Assistant
• Loan Processor
• Lifeguard
• Substitute Teacher
• Server

Looking through the job titles of folks with a Biology degree from California State University San Marcos, it seems the most popular roles fall within the realms of quality assurance in biotech, clinical laboratory positions, and research-oriented jobs. Quite a few graduates have made their way into roles like Analytical Scientist and Clinical Lab Associate, which directly tap into the biology knowledge and lab techniques they learned during their studies. These positions are definitely relevant, as they require a solid understanding of biological concepts and practices. On the flipside, there are also folks who have ventured down different paths that don't really connect with biology, like teaching English or working in customer service. It’s clear that while many have found excellent opportunities closely related to their degree, there’s a fair share of graduates who have taken a more diverse approach to their careers.

When we look beyond the clinical and research jobs, you’ll see roles like QA auditors and compliance specialists that, while they might benefit from a biology background, don’t necessarily require direct application of biological knowledge. These positions often focus more on regulatory compliance and quality management than on actual biology. So, in a nutshell, it appears that a significant portion of graduates are landing jobs that closely relate to their Biology degree, while others have branched out into fields that, although they may use some skills from their studies, don’t leverage their biology expertise to its full potential. It just goes to show how versatile a biology degree can be, even if not everyone uses it in a traditional way!

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Biology graduates (this is across all Biology graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to California State University San Marcos):

What kind of career trajectories do Biology graduates from California State University San Marcos have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

Graduates from California State University San Marcos with a degree in Biology seem to have a mixed bag of career trajectories. For many, the first job after graduation tends to be quite relevant to their field of study, often landing roles in clinical laboratories, research, or compliance in biotech firms. For instance, several graduates have found solid positions as Analytical Scientists or Clinical Lab Associates shortly after school. This alignment with the biology field can be promising, suggesting that the job market is somewhat favorable for fresh graduates entering this domain.

However, as we look at the longer-term trajectories—around five to ten years after graduation—the picture gets a bit more varied. While some, like those at BioAgilytix or Illumina, have successfully climbed the corporate ladder into senior roles and project management, others have strayed from biology-related jobs altogether. Some graduates have taken paths as teachers, servers, or administrative assistants, which indicates that not every biology degree holder remains in a science-focused career. In other words, while there are success stories in the biology sector, there are also graduates who have had to pivot away from their degree to find fulfilling work. Overall, it seems like a mix of both good opportunities and the reality of exploring other interests along the way!

How hard is a Biology degree from California State University San Marcos?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Biology at California State University San Marcos is pretty standard in terms of difficulty compared to other universities. You’ll definitely have your fair share of tough classes, like microbiology and organic chemistry, but it’s manageable if you stay on top of your studies and use your resources, like professors and study groups. The program has a mix of lectures and hands-on labs, which can be both challenging and fun, but that also means you need to be ready to put in consistent effort. Overall, it’s not a walk in the park, but if you’re passionate about science and willing to work hard, you’ll find it rewarding and totally doable!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 5 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Biology.

Do Biology graduates from California State University San Marcos tend to make good money?

Looking at the job trajectories of these Biology graduates from California State University San Marcos, it seems like they're doing pretty well for themselves, especially the ones who stuck with the biotech and healthcare fields. The first grad, who climbed the ranks at BioAgilytix to become a QA Manager, likely pulls in a solid salary after a few promotions. Similarly, the second graduate moved through clinical roles and compliance positions, which generally pay decently. However, some of the others, especially those who dabbled in teaching or hospitality jobs, probably aren't raking it in as much. The more scientific and managerial roles seem to indicate that those grads are making decent money, while others are either still building their careers or are in jobs that don't pay as well. Overall, it looks like a mixed bag, with the potential for good earnings for those who are aligned with their science degrees.

What buzzwords do Biology graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Biology (this is across all Biology graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to California State University San Marcos). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Biology?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Biology (ordered by the average relevance score of their Biology graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College	Score	Count
American University of Beirut	95	10
Luther College	90	11
Rutgers UniversityNew Brunswick	87	11
The College of New Jersey	86	13
Tufts University	86	17
Saint Louis University	86	11
Saint Joseph's University	86	10
Brandeis University	86	14
California State University-Los Angeles	85	12
Temple University	83	20
University of Pittsburgh	82	32
George Mason University	82	31
Boston University	82	12
University of Maryland	82	15
Wake Forest University	82	16
Seton Hall University	82	19
Texas Tech University	81	18
Illinois State University	81	13
Case Western Reserve University	81	12
University of Oregon	80	13
Cornell University	80	38
California State University, Fresno	80	11
University of Maryland Baltimore County	80	25
Washington University in St. Louis	80	13
California State University Channel Islands	80	11
Muhlenberg College	80	11
University of Scranton	80	11
University of Florida	79	67
Northeastern University	79	31
University of Nebraska-Lincoln	79	19
Georgia Institute of Technology	79	11
Boston College	79	23
University of Oklahoma	78	11
University of Alabama	78	16
Carleton College	78	11
University of Missouri-Columbia	77	29
University of Delaware	77	22
University of California, Santa Cruz	77	19
Providence College	77	11
Oberlin College	77	12
Iowa State University	76	17
University of Virginia	76	30
University of Massachusetts Amherst	76	18
Northwestern University	76	11
Kean University	76	13
Loyola University Chicago	76	25
William & Mary	76	19
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley	76	18
Butler University	76	10
The University of Georgia	75	44
UC Irvine	75	56
University of New Hampshire	75	10
Drexel University	75	13
University of Louisiana at Lafayette	75	13
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	75	18
Binghamton University	75	24
The University of New Mexico	75	14
Wright State University	75	13
UC San Diego	75	13
Gustavus Adolphus College	75	10
Grand Valley State University	74	14
Miami University	74	10
University of North Florida	74	17
UC Santa Barbara	74	27
Rutgers University	74	18
Duke University	74	23
St. Olaf College	74	14
The University of Texas-Pan American	74	10
Davidson College	74	17
Ohio University	73	14
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	73	18
Towson University	73	14
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	73	60
The University of Texas at San Antonio	73	28
University of North Carolina at Charlotte	73	23
University of Illinois at Chicago	73	32
University of California San Diego	73	11
Stockton University	73	16
University of St. Thomas	73	12
University of Portland	73	15
University of Houston	72	39
San Diego State University	72	16
East Carolina University	72	22
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	72	20
Syracuse University	72	13
Wayne State University	72	20
University of Miami	72	15
University of Massachusetts Lowell	72	12
University at Albany, SUNY	72	12
Hunter College	72	10
University of San Francisco	72	10
University of Missouri-Kansas City	72	12
SUNY Oneonta	72	11
Fairleigh Dickinson University	72	15
Florida State University	71	54
James Madison University	71	40
California State University-Sacramento	71	13
University of Cincinnati	71	24
Oklahoma State University	71	15
West Virginia University	71	19
The University of Alabama	71	16
University of Vermont	71	17
University of Notre Dame	71	10
University of North Carolina at Wilmington	71	26
University of California, Irvine	71	38
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse	71	12
University of Nevada, Reno	71	15
University of Maine	71	14
University of San Diego	71	11
Williams College	71	12
Indiana University Bloomington	70	31
University of Arkansas	70	25
University of Nevada-Las Vegas	70	12
University of North Carolina at Greensboro	70	26
Radford University	70	10
University of Washington Bothell	70	11
University of Wisconsin-Madison	69	54
Virginia Tech	69	16
The University of Texas at Dallas	69	32
Montclair State University	69	17
Rowan University	69	19
University of California, Santa Barbara	69	18
Texas Christian University	69	14
SUNY Geneseo	69	13
Texas A&M University	68	44
University of Utah	68	18
Mississippi State University	68	14
California State University San Marcos	68	11
Salisbury University	68	13
Valdosta State University	68	15
Xavier University	68	11
Smith College	68	10
Willamette University	68	13
The Ohio State University	67	49
University of California, Los Angeles	67	46
Kent State University	67	10
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona	67	14
University of California, Riverside	67	59
Kennesaw State University	67	21
University at Buffalo	67	22
University of Minnesota	67	12
Boise State University	67	10
Metropolitan State University of Denver	67	15
Villanova University	67	14
Stanford University	67	11
Campbell University	67	12
Pacific Lutheran University	67	13
University of Michigan	66	14
Clemson University	66	37
University of Iowa	66	10
University of South Carolina	66	23
Nova Southeastern University	66	26
University of Georgia - Franklin College of Arts and Sciences	66	24
State University of New York College at Geneseo	66	15
The University of Texas at Austin	65	49
University of North Texas	65	43
Georgia State University	65	39
University of Connecticut	65	22
College of Charleston	65	18
University of Pennsylvania	65	10
Brown University	65	10
University of North Carolina Wilmington	65	10
University of Illinois Chicago	65	17
Florida Atlantic University	64	44
Northern Arizona University	64	17
Ball State University	64	18
The University of Akron	64	10
University of Alabama at Birmingham	64	16
Emory University	64	18
Truman State University	64	12
Penn State University	63	39
Arizona State University	63	49
Colorado State University	63	29
University of Rhode Island	63	20
University of West Georgia	63	12
Jackson State University	63	13
University of Washington	62	51
Florida International University	62	59
Louisiana State University	62	33
Baylor University	62	29
North Carolina State University	61	28
Virginia Commonwealth University	61	49
Loyola Marymount University	61	12
St. Mary's College of Maryland	61	13
University of California, Davis	60	45
The University of Texas at Arlington	60	41
St. John's University	60	25
Texas State University	59	19
University of Mississippi	59	16
Marshall University	59	10
Purdue University	58	13
New York University	58	13
University of Kentucky	58	26
Old Dominion University	58	21
University of Colorado Denver	58	26
Texas Woman's University	58	14
Dillard University	58	10
San Francisco State University	57	10
Washington State University	57	18
Georgia Southern University	57	25
University of Central Florida	56	34
University of South Florida	56	12
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga	56	11
Howard University	56	27
Randolph-Macon College	56	10
Northern Illinois University	55	16
Grand Canyon University	54	14
Bowling Green State University	54	11
University of Hawaii at Manoa	54	16
University of Southern California	53	15
Central Connecticut State University	53	12
Oregon State University	52	13
Oakland University	52	18
University of Nebraska at Omaha	52	11
Christopher Newport University	52	11
San Diego State University-California State University	51	15
University of California, San Diego	51	21
New Mexico State University	51	13
Winthrop University	51	10
Eckerd College	50	10
Saint Peter's University	50	10
Stony Brook University	48	24
Texas Southern University	48	10
Francis Marion University	48	11
The Citadel	47	10
Spelman College	47	12
Southeastern Louisiana University	42	10
University of Louisville	37	11