As biology grows increasingly quantitative and digital—witness the mapping of the human genome, and the advent of the Personal Genome Project—the field of bioinformatics and computational biology has become a critical science. And the professionals who wish to enter it will need an integrated education that incorporates the skills and experience necessary to develop and use computational techniques as well as mathematical concepts for the analysis of biological data.
The Bioinformatics & Computational Biology (BCB) program at WPI is meeting this challenge through an interdisciplinary approach that brings together biology and biotechnology, computer science, and mathematical sciences. The result is a program that produces graduates who are experienced in the language, concepts, and techniques of these disciplines—and ready to begin rewarding careers.
Average Starting Salary
WPI Graduates:
- Bachelor’s: $66,500 (2015)
- Master’s: N/A
- PhD: N/A
Average National Starting Salary (according to the Bureau of Labor statistics, May 2015): $66,030
Average National Starting Bachelor’s Degree Salary (reported by the NACE Salary Survey): $33,583
Download the WPI Post-Graduation Reports for more information on salaries.
Companies That Have Hired WPI Bioinformatics & Computational Biology Majors
- Broad Institute
- Epic Systems
- Seahorse Bioscience
- UMass Medical School
Download the WPI Post-Graduation Reports for more companies that have hired WPI graduates.
Sample Job Titles
- Bioinformatics Scientist
- Research Scientist
- Senior Research Associate
- Software & Instrumentation Test Engineer
Visit O*Net Online for more information on job titles.
Sample Graduate Schools
- University of Massachusetts Medical School
Sample Professional Associations and Clubs
- American Medical Informatics Association
- International Society for Computational Biology
- IEEE Computational Intelligence Society
Visit What Can I Do With This Major? for more associations and clubs.
Sample MQP Titles
- Gene Expression Classification
- Cluster Visualization of Upregulated HDAC1 in Mouse Using Integration of Treeview and Galaxy
Visit WPI’s Electronic Projects Collection for more MQP titles.
Popular Industries for Bioinformatics & Computational Biology majors
- Agricultural chemicals
- Pharmaceuticals
- Medical device and equipment
- Research and testing
- National Institutes of Health
Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics or What Can I do with This Major for a list of more industries.