How to Make 6 Figures As A Biologist? (11 Best Ways in 2024)
So you want to make six figures as a Biologist? Good for you! Being a Biologist is a highly respectable and well-paid profession, and there's no reason why you can't earn a high income if you put your mind to it.
In this blog post, we'll look at some of the best ways to make more money as a Biologist - business ideas you can start to achieve such income. Keep reading to learn more!
1. Create an online course ($91.9K/month)
Starting an online course could be a highly effective way for you to make six figures as a Biologist. By identifying educational gaps in your field and creating valuable, specialized content, you could build a robust platform that delivers engaging video lessons and supplementary materials to a dedicated audience.
The flexibility of self-paced or cohort-based structures allows you to cater to various learning styles, while also providing passive income potential. This entrepreneurial endeavor not only leverages your expertise but also capitalizes on the growing demand for convenient, high-quality online learning, offering a lucrative opportunity with relatively small startup costs.
How much you can make: $350 — $1,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 88 days (?)
Learn how one couple created a successful personal finance blog, The Savvy Couple, that now makes over $20,000 per month and has sold thousands of digital workbooks and courses, by focusing on purposeful content and optimizing their ROI with efficient time management.
2. Start a social media marketing agency ($116K/month)
Starting a social media marketing agency could be a lucrative avenue for supplementing your income as a biologist, allowing you to potentially reach six figures. With flexible tools and automated processes, running your agency could easily fit around your full-time job, enabling you to clear utility bills, finance your education, or save up for that dream vacation.
By developing effective social media marketing strategies and building a solid portfolio, you could efficiently serve a variety of clients, from local businesses to larger companies in need of online presence. This entrepreneurial venture leverages your analytical skills and attention to detail, both critical traits for a biologist, making it a viable and rewarding side business or full-time career alternative.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $500,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $7,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 30 hours/week
How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.
3. Start a blog ($44.9K/month)
Starting a blog as a biologist could open numerous opportunities for you to supplement your income and potentially make six figures. By leveraging your expertise, you could create engaging content that caters to the 77% of internet users who read blogs, sharing valuable insights on various biological topics. Since blogs are considered the 5th most trustworthy source of online information, your credibility in the field can help establish you as a thought leader.
This digital side business allows you to reach a broad, global audience and work from anywhere at any time. With approximately 409 million people viewing over 20 billion pages each month, the potential to attract a substantial readership is significant. Monetizing your blog through advertisements, sponsored posts, or even selling e-books and courses could transform your passion for biology into a highly profitable endeavor.
How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Learn how one couple created a successful personal finance blog, The Savvy Couple, that now makes over $20,000 per month and has sold thousands of digital workbooks and courses, by focusing on purposeful content and optimizing their ROI with efficient time management.
4. Start a freelance writing business ($65.5K/month)
Supplementing your income through a freelance writing business could be an excellent pathway to make six figures as a Biologist. Freelance writing offers you the flexibility to define your work schedule and work from home, allowing you to balance it alongside your main career. Plus, with strong writing skills and your expertise in biology, you could tap into various niches such as scientific journals, educational content, or even health and environmental blogs.
With the growing demand for specialized content online, your background in biology could make you a sought-after writer in your field. By staying up-to-date with current writing tools and trends, and honing your ability to meet deadlines and maintain proper communication with clients, you could gradually build a lucrative side business. This entrepreneurial approach could significantly boost your income, providing a reliable secondary stream of revenue and putting you well on the path to making six figures.
How much you can make: $700 — $500,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 56 days (?)
How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.
5. Start a podcast ($97.9K/month)
Starting a podcast could be a lucrative way for you to supplement your income as a biologist, inching closer to that six-figure mark. By creating engaging and informative audio content centered around your biology expertise, you could attract a dedicated audience interested in scientific topics. This opens up possibilities for monetization through sponsorships, advertisements, and even paid subscriptions.
Moreover, as your podcast grows, you could leverage your platform to offer exclusive content, online courses, or consulting services, further diversifying your income streams. Building a strong personal brand through your podcast could also lead to speaking engagements, book deals, and other entrepreneurial opportunities. With the right niche, basic recording equipment, and wise promotion, your podcast could become a significant revenue-generating venture.
How much you can make: $400 — $1,020,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 2 hours/week
A successful podcast production company that grew from one client making $15/hour to a team of 10 contractors producing over 30 shows per week with revenue of over $10k/mo, primarily through referrals and with a focus on providing high personal touch and being picky about working only with clients who are a good fit.
6. Start an ecommerce store ($287K/month)
Starting an eCommerce store could open new financial opportunities for you as a Biologist. With your specialized knowledge, you could market products or services related to biology, such as eco-friendly lab equipment, sustainable research supplies, or educational materials like biology-themed worksheets and experiments. This not only taps into a niche market but also allows you to share your expertise while supplementing your income.
The low overhead costs and increased flexibility of an eCommerce business make it particularly appealing. You could manage the store alongside your primary job, thanks to the efficiency and convenience that modern eCommerce platforms offer. With consumers increasingly favoring online shopping, your store has the potential to reach a broad audience, expanding your revenue streams and helping you edge closer to that six-figure income.
By leveraging your unique insights and the ease of setting up an online store, you could build a thriving side business. This entrepreneurial venture could eventually transition into a full-scale business, providing financial stability and possibly surpassing your primary income.
How much you can make: $350 — $13,500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Southern Elegance Candle Company, founded by D'Shawn Russell, started as a side hustle making around $200 per weekend at a local Farmers Market, but now averages approximately $20,000 per month in sales across their retail site, wholesale site, and Faire.
7. Start a career coaching business ($48.5K/month)
Starting a career coaching business could significantly supplement your income as a Biologist and help you reach a six-figure salary. By leveraging your expertise in the field, you could provide personalized guidance and strategies to aspiring biologists or professionals seeking growth opportunities within the scientific community.
Your services might include custom sessions on resume building, interview preparation, and developing workplace advancement strategies, tailored to each client’s unique aspirations. With the flexibility of offering both in-person and virtual meetings, you could build a reliable client base while setting your own schedule. This entrepreneurial venture allows you to monetize your motivational abilities and human resources expertise effectively.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $235,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Wall Street Oasis, the largest online community focused on careers in finance, has over 100 million visitors during its 14-year history and is currently receiving over 2 million visits per month, offering interview courses and mentorship services, in addition to building and investing in a thriving online community.
8. Become an affiliate marketer ($55.3K/month)
Starting an affiliate marketer business could be a viable way for you to make six figures as a biologist. By leveraging your expertise, you could promote products or services related to your field, such as scientific tools, lab equipment, or specialized educational materials, and earn a commission on each sale made through your referrals. This venture requires minimal upfront investment since you don't need to own or create the products, making it accessible and low-cost.
To begin, you would need to sign up for affiliate programs offered by companies in your niche. Once approved, you would receive unique tracking links to drive traffic to these products, enabling you to earn commissions on successful referrals. Given your specialized knowledge and network, you could effectively market these products, providing a steady stream of extra income to help you reach six figures.
How much you can make: $18,000 — $83,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $100 (?)
How long does it take to build: 150 days (?)
This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
9. Digital products ($261K/month)
As a biologist, you could supplement your income and make six figures by creating and selling digital products. For instance, you might develop an online course teaching various biological concepts, write an informative ebook on a niche subject within biology, or create a membership site offering exclusive content and resources for other professionals in your field.
The beauty of digital products lies in their ease of creation and distribution. You don't need to worry about physical inventory or logistics, allowing you to focus entirely on developing high-quality content that showcases your expertise. By leveraging digital products, you open up a scalable income stream that requires minimal ongoing effort after the initial creation phase, helping you to quickly enhance your financial prospects as a biologist.
How much you can make: $10,417 — $1,766,666/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
FilterGrade is an eCommerce platform offering digital assets such as photo filters and video templates; attracting over 450,000 monthly users and generating approximately 30k a month, the founders worked hard to build a valuable marketplace for creators while focusing on digital marketing, partnerships, and content creation.
10. Become a social media influencer ($57.4K/month)
Starting a social media influencer career could significantly boost your income as a biologist. By leveraging your expertise in biology, you could establish credibility in an engaging niche such as environmental conservation, wildlife biology, or laboratory research techniques. Creating compelling content on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, or TikTok can help you build a dedicated audience interested in these topics.
Once you have established a sizable following, you could collaborate with brands whose products or services align with your niche, such as eco-friendly brands, scientific equipment manufacturers, or educational platforms. They are often willing to pay influencers to promote their offerings to a targeted audience. Through such partnerships, combined with potential ad revenue from your social media channels, you could create a valuable supplementary income stream, potentially leading you to a six-figure annual income.
How much you can make: $2,500 — $166,666/month
How much does it cost to start: $800 (?)
How long does it take to build: 155 days (?)
How one mother built a profitable frugal motherhood, life, and travel blog from scratch, using Instagram, Pinterest, and paid sponsorships to grow from 0 to 18.5K followers and generate $1,500-$3,000 per month in less than two years.
11. Start a youtube channel ($146K/month)
Starting a YouTube channel could significantly supplement your income as a biologist. By creating educational content about your field, you could attract a large audience interested in biology, research methods, or even your specific area of expertise. Engaging videos that break down complex scientific topics into digestible, interesting segments could gain substantial viewership.
With YouTube’s established monetization system, once you reach a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months, you could start earning ad revenue. Additionally, there are opportunities for sponsorships, partnerships, and affiliate marketing that could further increase your earnings. The popularity of YouTube and the endless possibilities for content creation make this a viable way to work toward a six-figure income.
How much you can make: $800 — $1,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $750 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Learn how this entrepreneurial couple made $5-7k a month by helping others find legitimate work from home jobs and creative ways to make money online through their blog and YouTube channel, as well as offering two flagship products designed to help beginner freelancers and new bloggers accelerate growth.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
