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Careers with biology

11 November 2020

A career in biology can be immensely rewarding and exciting

As biology is the study of life, it’s one of the broadest subjects you can study and has a very broad array of job opportunities for graduates. Biology encompasses everything from the molecular study of life processes to the study of animals, plant and complex environmental systems.

Growing plant — Grevillea species captured with a macro lens.

Graduates from biology learn how living things work, how they interact with one another, and how they evolve. They may specialise in the study of evolution, marine ecosystems, food production, natural history, animal and environmental conservation, immunology, biotechnology and more.

Why study biology?

Biology holds the key to solving some of the biggest challenges our planet faces. You can investigate a multitude of life forms from viruses, bacteria and protozoans, to fungi, plants and animals, including us humans.

As you unravel the complexities of how these life forms interact with each other and their abiotic environments, your studies can take you from the laboratory to a rainforest, desert, farm or underwater. Be astounded and endlessly fascinated by the immense diversity of biology, and feel prepared for a career that can take you around the world.

What biology job opportunities are there?

Industries	Companies	Roles
Agriculture Research Education Government Biotechnology Conservation Health	Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning Science and Technology Australia CSIRO Mars Australia Ausbiotech Ltd OceanWatch GRDC Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Australian Museum Taronga Zoo	Researcher Ecologist Nature conservation officer Food scientist Policy advisor Education officer Museum curator Botanist Agronomist Writer/editor

How much can I earn with a biology degree?

As career opportunities span a range of roles and industries, salary trends depend on the area you decide to work. Click through the gallery to see some example salaries for jobs that biology graduates enter.

*Salaries taken from Seek.com in October 2020 based on Australian salary data. Starting salaries may differ.