Careers in Bioinformatics
Advantages of a Graduate Certificate Program:
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A streamlined, hands-on environment providing in-demand computational skills
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Suitable for recent graduates or those seeking to return to studies in advance of a career change
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Can act as a bridge between undergraduate and graduate degree programs for those seeking further training before committing to such programs
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Provides in-demand professional skills, making trainees more attractive in the job market
A Valuable Skillset:
Bioinformatics knowledge increases mean salary for a research scientists by 11%
Gain Hands-On Experience:
Skills in Next-gen sequencing and familiarity with genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics are invaluable in today's job market, setting certificate graduates apart from undergraduate degree holders
Bioinformaticians are in high-demand
Labour market–wise, the area of bioinformatics is booming globally and continuing to grow with high demand and excellent salaries. There are many career options available to a trained bioinformatics specialist, ranging from medical research to database management or software development. Although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not collect specific wage data on bioinformatics specialists, they are grouped within the category of other biological scientists, for whom the median earnings were $82,220 per year as of 2019 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021). This salary is mirrored in Alberta for graduates of Master’s degrees, where the average salary of 2015/2016 graduates was $80,000 (Advanced Education, 2018). According to PayScale.com, however, the median salary for biotechnology research scientists with bioinformatics knowledge is much higher: $93,950 per year as of March 2021 (PayScale, 2021); this indicates the growing gap in career progress between traditional biology scientists and life sciences professionals with in-demand targeted computational skills.