Microbiology & Immunology
What you'll do in college
This field is all about the microscopic organisms that run the world—and the immune systems trying to fight them off. Coursework dives deep into bacteriology, virology, immunology, epidemiology, and microbial genetics.
Labs require meticulous sterile technique: you'll spend countless hours streaking agar plates, Gram staining, growing cultures in the incubator, and running assays to see how cells respond to pathogens without accidentally contaminating your bench (or yourself).
What you'll do after college
Grads work in public health (CDC, state labs), biopharma, clinical diagnostics, and food or environmental safety testing. The rise of mRNA vaccines and immunotherapy has made this a booming sector.
Entry-level roles often involve bench work, quality control, or clinical lab testing. Many grads go on to medical school, veterinary school, or PhD programs to become principal investigators, virologists, or infectious disease specialists.
Famous graduates
- Susan Lindquist — Groundbreaking molecular biologist; B.A. in Microbiology from UIUC
- Rita Colwell — Former Director of the NSF and infectious disease researcher; B.S. in Bacteriology from Purdue University
Selectivity vs. earnings
By acceptance rate
By SAT median
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | 5yr Earn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microbiology & Immunology | 103 | 2,904 | 36% / 64% | 3% | $67,354 |
| Microbiology | 87 | 2,139 | 37% / 63% | 2% | $68,163 |
| Microbiology and Cell Science | 1 | 215 | 36% / 64% | 2% | $58,143 |
| Microbiology and Immunology | 8 | 181 | 29% / 71% | 3% | $65,803 |
| Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics | 1 | 166 | 33% / 67% | 5% | $69,021 |
| Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology | 2 | 84 | 30% / 70% | 4% | $70,389 |
| Microbial Biology | 1 | 80 | 31% / 69% | 6% | |
| Immunology | 1 | 30 | 33% / 67% | 0% | |
| Medical Microbiology | 1 | 7 | 43% / 57% | 14% | |
| Infectious Disease and Global Health | 1 | 2 | 0% / 100% | 0% |