About the Field

Biostatistics

Faculty and students within the Division of Biostatistics gain experience by actively contributing to research in projects such as:

• Community-based and international clinical trials in AIDS
• Prevention of lung disease in smokers and ex-smokers
  
• Use of medical imaging in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other diseases
  
• Quantifying positive and negative interactions of drugs in combination chemotherapy for cancer
  
• Spatial distribution of cancer cases
  
• Effects of risk-factor intervention on death rates from coronary heart disease
  
• Statistical genomics/genetics

Job Prospects

Job prospects for new masters and Ph.D. graduates in biostatistics are excellent. Typical starting salaries range from $40,000 to $70,000 for master's degrees and from $75,000 to $125,000 for Ph.D. degrees. Career opportunities for graduates include:

• Teaching and research at universities
• Research in drug development and testing at pharmaceutical companies
• Research in large medical clinics

Recent graduates have been hired by companies and institutions such as:

• Abbott Laboratories
• Amgen
• Centers for Disease Control
• Eli Lilly
• Harvard University
• Medtronic
• Merck Research Laboratories
• Minnesota Research Foundation
• National Institutes of Health
• University of Minnesota Academic Health Center
• University of Washington