Genetic Engineers
Overview
Introduction
Genetic engineers alter, splice, eliminate, and rearrange genes in order to modify an organism or groups of organisms. Genetic engineering is used to improve plant and animal production, fight diseases (such as cancer and AIDS), improve manufacturing processes, clean up environmental disasters such as oil spills, and for other applications.
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Genetic engineers earned median annual salaries of $90,511 in November of 2024, according to ZipRecruiter. Salaries ranged from less than $59,500 to $153,500 or more.
Benefits for genetic engineers depend on the employer; however, they usually include such items as health insurance, retirement or 401(k) plans, and paid sick and vacation days.
Work Environment
Genetic engineers spend most of their time in laboratories, designing and conducting research experiments and performing genetic engineering procedures. They also spend considerable time writing reports about their work, lecturing or teaching about their research, and preparing grant proposals to federal or private agencies to secure funding to support their work. Because federal grants are ext...
Outlook
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) predicts that employment for biochemists and biophysicists (careers under which genetic engineers are often categorized) is expected to grow 9 percent through 2033, a rate that is much faster than the average for all careers. Breakthroughs in genetic engineering as applied to human health, agriculture, bioremediation, manufacturing, and other fields have creat...