The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts growth in biotechnology through 2018, particularly for biologists with skills in DNA manipulation and sequencing. A concentration in molecular and cell biology, microbiology, genetics or biochemistry can lead you to generally well-paying, laboratory-based biotech jobs.
Ecologists do field work to study the interaction between organisms and their environment. They analyze water and soil quality, determine the effects of industry on the environment or research the interactions between species. Many ecologists work for the federal government, in either the U.S. Forest Service or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
With an M.A. degree, you can get a position at a community college, teaching in a variety of fields, including general biology, ecology, anatomy and physiology or molecular biology. Working as a teaching assistant while in school provides you with experience before you apply for such jobs.
Some students with an M.A. continue their education and become medical doctors by pursuing an M.D. or D.O. degree after they graduate. You don't need an M.A. for admission to these professional programs, but it can help boost a GPA and prove to admissions committees that you're prepared for advanced studies in biological sciences.
Training at the master's level lasts two to three years, and often requires an undergraduate degree in biology, although each program has its specific requirements. While earnings depend on the employer, geographical location and academic specialty, the labor bureau reports a median salary for biologists of $69,430 per year, as of May 2009.