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Microbiology

Career outlook

Nathan Purtell, ’19, and Whitney Alibrandi, ’10, have used their UWL education to brew up great careers at City Brewery.

Career outlook

Graduates from UWL's Microbiology MS and Clinical Microbiology MS programs are prepared for a wide range of rewarding careers in research, public health, industry and clinical settings.

Microbiology MS

The Microbiology master’s program provides a strong foundation for diverse career paths, including:

  • Food and industrial microbiology – roles in quality control, product development, and biomanufacturing.
  • Infection control – positions in hospitals and healthcare organizations.
  • Marketing and sales – opportunities in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
  • Teaching and research – positions in colleges, universities, and research institutions.
  • Further education – preparation for medical, veterinary, or doctoral programs.
  • Supervisory roles – With experience, graduates often advance to leadership positions in microbiology or related laboratory settings.

Clinical Microbiology MS

The Clinical Microbiology master’s program prepares students for specialized laboratory careers and public health roles, including:

  • Public health and diagnostic laboratories – positions in state or county health departments, environmental testing, or clinical labs.
  • Clinical settings – careers as clinical laboratory technologists, medical technologists, or clinical microbiologists.
  • Public health microbiology – roles such as public health microbiologist or public health scientist.
  • Pharmaceutical, food, industrial, and environmental sectors – positions as research scientists or microbiologists.
  • Supervisory roles – With experience, graduates often advance to supervisory or management roles in laboratory settings.

Some graduates go on to work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or complete the paid APHL-CDC Fellowship, gaining valuable experience in public health laboratory science. This fellowship can lead to positions in:

  • State and local public health laboratories
  • Federal agencies (CDC, FDA, EPA)
  • Academic institutions
  • Private diagnostic laboratories
  • International health organizations

Certification and career preparation

Graduates of the Clinical Microbiology MS program are well prepared for the Technologist/Scientist certification exam in Microbiology or Molecular Biology after six months of employment. Many work in clinical diagnostic labs—especially in larger hospitals employing more specialists.

Note: The Clinical Microbiology master’s program is distinct from UWL’s Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) undergraduate major. Students aiming specifically to work in hospital labs may find the CLS major a better fit, as hospitals typically prefer broadly trained CLS graduates who have passed certification exams.

A Microbiology master's student presents during the 3 Minute Grad Project Competition, later earning an award.

Explore careers in microbiology

Discover career opportunities by visiting the American Society for Microbiology Career Connections website or searching “microbiology” on Indeed.com.

Microbiology alumni careers

  • R&D roles at Harrisvaccines, Luminix, NewLink Genetics, Pathogenica, Lucigen, Abbott Laboratories, Becton Dickinson, Pfizer, and others
  • Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL)-CDC Fellowship. These paid fellowships train and prepare scientists for careers in public health laboratories and to support public health initiatives. 
  • Laboratory Director of the Microbiology Hub - Kericho, Kenya and Associate Biologist, University of Bamako, Mali
  • Instructors in the Medical Lab Technologist programs at Minnesota State Southeast Technical and Western Technical College
  • Supervisor in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory at Marshfield Clinic
  • Microbiologists in the Molecular Division of the Washington State Public Health Labs and WI State Lab of Hygiene
  • Research positions in a Howard Hughes Medical Institute, virology lab at UW-Madison, CDC, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center
  • Ph.D. programs at University of Minnesota and the Medical College of Wisconsin