Career comparison
Biology Professor vs. Medical Scientist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Medical scientists earn more at the median ($103,410 vs. $84,620), while medical scientists usually get to work faster (5–8 years after a bachelor’s of training). Biology professors teach life sciences and lead biology research at the college level. Medical scientists research diseases and develop treatments to improve human health.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Biology Professor | Medical Scientist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $84,620 | $103,410 ($49.72/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $52,150 – $169,900 | $64,800 – $177,780 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +7.3% (much faster than average) | +12.6% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 4,700 | 10,500 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 6–9 years after a bachelor’s | 5–8 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Ph.D. in biology | Ph.D. or M.D. |
| Work setting | Biology faculty work in classrooms, labs, field sites and offices.. | Medical scientists work in labs, hospitals and offices.. |
What each job does
Biology Professor
- Teach biology courses
- Run teaching labs
- Lead a research lab
- Mentor student researchers
- Write grant proposals
Medical Scientist
- Design studies
- Run lab experiments
- Design clinical trials
- Analyze data
- Write grants
How they’re similar
Both careers involve problem-solving, high-pay, and in-demand. They sit in different fields, education & childcare and science, engineering & lab, but share transferable skills such as mentoring and persistence.
Which should you choose?
Choose biology professor if…
- I love biology
- I want to run a lab
- I enjoy teaching
Choose medical scientist if…
- I want to cure diseases
- I love research
- I’m persistent
Still torn? Take the Biology Professor fit quiz and the Medical Scientist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, biology professor or medical scientist?
Medical Scientists earn more at the median: $103,410 versus $84,620 for biology professors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Medical Scientists typically train faster (5–8 years after a bachelor’s) than biology professors (6–9 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects medical scientists to grow +12.6% from 2025–35, compared with +7.3% for biology professors.