Biologist
Study living organisms and their interactions with the environment in research, government and industry settings.
Salary
Cited figures only: median full-time weekly earnings for the ANZSCO unit group Life Scientists (2345) from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia), and where available the QILT graduate starting salary for the matching study area.
| Figure | AUD | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median full-time weekly earnings | $1948 | Your Career (2026-09-23) |
| Graduate starting salary | $73,100 | QILT (2026-08-31) |
Jobs, demand and who does this work
Figures for the ANZSCO occupation Biologist (234511), the closest official match for biologist, from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia data, sourced 2026-09-23).
- People employed
- 300
- Future demand
- Strong
- Work full-time
- 76%
- Average full-time hours
- 44 a week
- Women
- 47%
- Median age
- 38
Where the jobs are (share of workers)
| NSW | 15.3% |
| VIC | 31% |
| QLD | 26.7% |
| WA | 8% |
| SA | 6.3% |
| TAS | 3.7% |
| ACT | 6% |
| NT | 0% |
Highest qualification held by workers
| Postgraduate qualification | 67% |
| Bachelor degree | 27.7% |
| Diploma or advanced diploma | 1% |
| Certificate I-IV | 0% |
| Year 12 | 1.7% |
| Below Year 12 | 0% |
What a biologist actually does
Most biologists split their week between bench work, fieldwork and writing. In a university or CSIRO setting, mornings often go to running experiments, prepping samples, looking after cell cultures or animals, and entering data. Afternoons lean towards analysis in R or Python, lab meetings, and writing up results for journals or grant reports. Fieldwork blocks can mean early starts and long days in remote sites collecting specimens, doing transects or setting traps. Standard hours sit around 37 to 40 a week in government and industry roles, but research biologists routinely push longer during grant deadlines, experimental runs that cannot be paused, or field seasons. Most postings are based in a lab on a university or research-institute campus, with travel to field sites and conferences. Funding cycles drive a lot of the rhythm: many research roles are on fixed-term contracts tied to a specific grant or project.
Typical tasks
- Design and run experiments.
- Collect and analyse field samples.
- Publish in peer-reviewed journals.
Skills you'll use
- Experimental design and statistical analysis
- Wet-lab techniques such as PCR, microscopy and cell culture
- Field sampling and species identification
- R or Python for data analysis
- Writing for peer-reviewed journals and grant applications
- Reading dense scientific literature critically
- Working safely with biological samples and field hazards
How to become one
- 1Finish Year 12 with English plus at least one science (Biology, Chemistry or both) and Maths Methods or Advanced; some courses also assume Chemistry prerequisites
- 2Complete a 3-year Bachelor of Science with a major in biology, ecology, microbiology, genetics or a related life-science field
- 3Get hands-on lab or field experience through summer scholarships, volunteer work, or paid research assistant roles during your degree
- 4Complete an Honours year (a 1-year research project plus thesis) since most professional and research roles in Australia expect at least Honours
- 5Apply for a graduate or research-assistant role in government, industry or a university lab, or move into a PhD if you want to lead research
- 6Complete a PhD (3-4 years) if you plan to run your own research, lead a lab, or work as a senior scientist in CSIRO or a university
Where you can work
- Australian universities (Group of Eight and other research-intensive institutions)
- CSIRO research divisions
- State government primary-industries and environment departments
- Medical research institutes such as the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and the Garvan
- Pharmaceutical, biotech and agritech companies
- Museums and herbaria (Australian Museum, Museums Victoria, herbaria nationally)
- Environmental consultancies advising mining, agriculture and infrastructure clients
Career progression
Typical stages and roles. Years of experience are a rough guide; pay at each stage depends on the employer, award or agreement.
- Graduate0-2 yearsTypical roles: Research assistant, Lab technician, Junior field biologist
- PhD candidate0-4 yearsTypical roles: PhD student on stipend, Research scholar
- Postdoctoral researcher3-7 years post-PhDTypical roles: Postdoctoral fellow, Research scientist
- Senior scientist8-15 yearsTypical roles: Senior research scientist, Project leader, Lecturer
- Principal scientist or Professor15+ yearsTypical roles: Principal research scientist, Associate professor, Lab head
Is this for you?
You might love this if
- You enjoy designing experiments and waiting weeks or months for clean results
- You can read dense scientific papers without losing patience
- You are comfortable with long-tail study (Honours and probably a PhD)
- You are willing to chase grants and accept fixed-term contracts early on
- You can write up findings clearly for both specialist and general audiences
This might not suit you if
- You want certainty about your next job rather than living grant to grant
- You dislike statistical analysis or repetitive lab work
- You want a high starting salary straight out of a 3-year degree
- You hate writing long-form reports and journal articles
Ways in
Uni and TAFE routes for biologist. We only list pathways that actually lead to this occupation.
University
Bachelor degrees that lead to this career.
TAFE / VET
Nationally accredited Certificate and Diploma qualifications.
No direct TAFE pathway to this career.
Sources
ExamExplained does not publish predictive salary figures. For current Australian earnings data check Your Career (yourcareer.gov.au) directly. Career classifications follow the ABS ANZSCO 2022 release.