The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), based in Washington, D.C.,
says there are 1,457 biotech companies in the U.S., employing 191,000 people.
Alicia Loffler is the director of the Center for Biotechnology at Northwestern
University in Evanston, Illinois. She sees bright employment prospects in
the industry. She says jobs are expected to increase nine to 10 percent a
year.
Judy Wilfrom is a biotech business development manager. She agrees. "The
prospects are very good because there is currently a shortage of people,"
she says.
Wilfrom says salaries vary from employer to employer, but she puts the
entry-level range between $30,000 and $50,000 a year. According to Wilfrom,
professionals with several years of experience could earn up to $100,000 a
year.
Earnings and employment information from the U.S. Department of Labor is
not available for this field at this time.