Life Sciences Education

Education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is imperative for the future of Ohio’s workforce and economy. The disciplines within STEM are found in a diverse range of applications across daily life including roadways, electronics, advanced polymers, and aerospace. In life sciences, STEM skills create the products and techniques that save and improve lives, and sustain and protect our environment. Students learn concepts that prepare them to confront the challenges of today’s world, such as medical emergencies, food shortages, and critical demand for sustainable energy sources.

Photos:  North Central State College, Eastland-Fairfield Career Technical School, University of Cincinnati, Lakeland Community College

Life Sciences in Ohio K-12

In the state of Ohio, the Ohio STEM Learning Network (OSLN), Project Lead the Way (PLtW), and numerous Career-Tech programs provide opportunities for students to attain the skills needed for a successful career.

Career-Tech programs around Ohio offer educational pathways that leverage the Ohio Department of Education’s health, agriculture, engineering, and manufacturing fields of study, with intense bioscience specialization. Students are instructed in essential skills used every day at real-world workplaces, many in cooperation with local businesses and industry organizations. These programs are immersing students in a hands-on exploration of life sciences skills, and delivering students that are college and career ready.

Ohio’s educational resources, particularly STEM programs in K-12 schools and specialized degree opportunities at post-secondary institutions, offer the skill sets and academic rigor ideally suited to finding a rewarding job in life sciences.

Life Sciences at Ohio Colleges & Universities

A skilled workforce is integral to the growth of Ohio’s life sciences industry. Ohio’s technical career centers and two-year, four-year, graduate, and advanced degree programs build on the foundation set by K-12 schools to deliver a workforce pipeline necessary to staff growing life sciences businesses.

Ohio has hundreds of post-secondary institutions serving all industries and walks of life, from universities and community colleges to specialized job training centers and vocational schools. OLS has reviewed thousands of degrees and programs offered at these institutions to identify a subset directly related to life sciences employment preparation or advancement.

In 2020, a combined 83 institutions across Ohio awarded 11,179 life sciences-related degrees and certificates to students in Ohio, up 65% since 2006. Public universities awarded the majority of degrees and certificates, 7,782, followed by private institutions (2,534) and community colleges (863).

Top Ten Life Sciences-Related Degrees (2020)

  • Biology & Biological Sciences (1,882)
  • Pharmacy (593)
  • Chemical Engineering (672)
  • Chemistry (502)
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering (387)
  • Zoology & Animal Biology (368)
  • Biochemistry (200)
  • Neuroscience (335)
  • Clinical Laboratory Science & Medical Technology (341)
  • Health Information Technology (303

    11,179 Degrees & Certificates Awarded in 2020

    • 460 certificates for less than two years of study
    • 791 Associate’s degrees
    • 7,234 Bachelor’s degrees
    • 2,694 Master’s, Doctoral, and other advanced degrees

    Top Five Schools, Number of Degrees Awarded (2020)

    • The Ohio State University (2,680)
    • University of Cincinnati (1,417)
    • Case Western Reserve University (681)
    • The University of Toledo (635)
    • Miami University (619)

    The following are suggested resources on our website to learn about many organizations in Ohio that are working right now to build the right team.