Geneticists
Research and study the inheritance of traits at the molecular, organism or population level. May evaluate or treat patients with genetic disorders.
Also called: Cardiovascular Geneticist · Medical Geneticist · Research Scientist · Scientist
Median pay (national)
$93,330
$54,500–$159,780 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
59,710
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+1.2%
~4,800 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for geneticists shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $159,780 versus $54,500 at the bottom 10% — 2.9x. The median of $93,330 leaves roughly 71% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +1.2% from 2024 to 2034 — slower than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 4,800 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 53 states with released data, Connecticut pays the most for this role (median $120,880, +30% vs the national median), while Missouri sits lowest at $63,290 — a 91% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Science, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags R as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Science
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Learning Strategies
- Monitoring
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Supervise or direct the work of other geneticists, biologists, technicians, or biometricians working on genetics research projects.
- Plan or conduct basic genomic and biological research related to areas such as regulation of gene expression, protein interactions, metabolic networks, and nucleic acid or protein complexes.
- Maintain laboratory notebooks that record research methods, procedures, and results.
- Write grants and papers or attend fundraising events to seek research funds.
- Search scientific literature to select and modify methods and procedures most appropriate for genetic research goals.
- Review, approve, or interpret genetic laboratory results.
- Attend clinical and research conferences and read scientific literature to keep abreast of technological advances and current genetic research findings.
- Evaluate genetic data by performing appropriate mathematical or statistical calculations and analyses.
- Analyze determinants responsible for specific inherited traits, and devise methods for altering traits or producing new traits.
- Instruct medical students, graduate students, or others in methods or procedures for diagnosis and management of genetic disorders.
Tools & technology
- R
- C++
- Git
- GitHub
- Linux
- Oracle Java
- Perl
- Python
- SAS
- Structured query language SQL
- UNIX
- Basic Local Alignment Search Tool BLAST
- Bioinformatics databases
- ClustalW
- Database software
- Deoxyribonucleic acid DNA sequence analysis software
Knowledge areas
- Biology
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Computers and Electronics
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Administration and Management