Expert: Florence M Rollwagen - 7/1/2009

Question
Hello,

I am a graduate of Microbiology from India,& want to pursue Masters in the same in US.I am not sure about it anymore because after coming here in east part of US I found lot of people working in IT or computers & nursing & very few in microbiology but yet I am interested in doing the same.Can you please help me to sort out my thoughts and decide a path for my self.I want to know future I am about to choose for my self is safe enough for me to run a family.What is the minimum pay I can get in the beginning after doing MS microbiology and what will be the maximum pay I can get in it? Do I have to go for research after MS for higher pays?What pays higher-Teaching & research or opportunities in Industries?Is there any other field of science you can recommend other than microbiology which have a great future & not far different from Microbiology?I really need help.

Thank You for showing interest.

Answer
Hi Amruta:  Thanks for your question.

A microbiologist with a Master's degree can earn about $40-$60 thousand dollars per year, depending on the job.  Clinical work pays the least, and corporate (industry) pays the most.  Government jobs are secure and pay adequately, but you have to be a citizen, or at least have a green card.  See this link:

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Degree=Master_of_Science_(MS),_Microbiology/Salary

The median household income in the USA is about $50K.

Depending on what city you live in, this can be adequate or not quite enough for a nice life.  You may plan on a joint income with both spouses working.

Here's a link for that:
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Degree=Master_of_Science_(MS),_Microbiology/Salary

Hope this helps, write back if you have more questions.

FM Rollwagen, PhD