Geneticists
Science, Technology, Engineering and MathematicsO*NET 19-1029.03United States
Research and study the inheritance of traits at the molecular, organism or population level. May evaluate or treat patients with genetic disorders.
- Median annual earnings
- $98,646
- Projected change
- +5.2%
- Typical education
- Doctoral degree or more
- Employment
- 61.7K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
56% of the workforce
Growing to 64.88K by 2035
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These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What geneticists do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Supervise or direct the work of other geneticists, biologists, technicians, or biometricians working on genetics research projects.
- Prepare results of experimental findings for presentation at professional conferences or in scientific journals.
- 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.
- 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.
- Maintain laboratory notebooks that record research methods, procedures, and results.
- 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.
- Extract deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or perform diagnostic tests involving processes such as gel electrophoresis, Southern blot analysis, and polymerase chain reaction analysis.
- 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.
- Collaborate with biologists and other professionals to conduct appropriate genetic and biochemical analyses.
- Maintain laboratory safety programs and train personnel in laboratory safety techniques.
- Create or use statistical models for the analysis of genetic data.
- Verify that cytogenetic, molecular genetic, and related equipment and instrumentation is maintained in working condition to ensure accuracy and quality of experimental results.
- Confer with information technology specialists to develop computer applications for genetic data analysis.
- Develop protocols to improve existing genetic techniques or to incorporate new diagnostic procedures.
- Design sampling plans or coordinate the field collection of samples such as tissue specimens.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $59,644
- 25th percentile
- $76,048
- 50th percentile
- $98,646
- 75th percentile
- $128,172
- 90th percentile
- $170,208
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $98,646 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+5.2%average or slower
202561,697 jobs
2035 projected64,880 jobs
3,183 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Doctoral degree or more
- 56%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 36%
- Bachelor's degree
- 8%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Clinical Geneticists86 postings
- 02General Physicians84 postings
- 03Medical Geneticists80 postings
- 04Postdoctoral Fellows66 postings
- 05Pediatric Genetic Counseling Interns56 postings
- 06Neonatologists45 postings
- 07Postdoctoral Research Fellows39 postings
- 08Scientists32 postings
- 09Hematologists/Oncologists31 postings
- 10Postdoctoral Scholars30 postings
- 11Principal Scientists28 postings
- 12Molecular Genetics Technologists27 postings
- 13Statistical Geneticists27 postings
- 14Pediatric Pulmonologists25 postings
- 15Sleep Medicine Physicians25 postings
- 16Physician Scientists22 postings
- 17Postdoctoral Associates22 postings
- 18Postdoctoral Research Associates22 postings
- 19Chiefs of Pediatrics21 postings
- 20Geneticists21 postings
Top employers
- 01CompHealth99 postings
- 02Mrg Exams86 postings
- 03University of Pennsylvania86 postings
- 04American College Of Medical Genetics And Genomics82 postings
- 05AMN Healthcare45 postings
- 06Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center37 postings
- 07Jackson Physician Search37 postings
- 08Baylor Scott & White Health33 postings
- 09Nemours31 postings
- 10Hackensack Meridian Health30 postings
- 11Labcorp27 postings
- 12Herc25 postings
- 13Albany Medical Center24 postings
- 14University of Chicago24 postings
- 15Harvard University22 postings
- 16Regeneron Pharmaceuticals22 postings
- 17The Medicus Firm20 postings
- 18University of Florida20 postings
- 19Baylor College of Medicine19 postings
- 20Weatherby Healthcare19 postings
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