The NewAmerican Frontier
Job Training for the Next Technological Age
A forward-looking blueprint for job training in the age of AI, from the front lines of technological change.
The view from the edge of the learning curve. New technologies are changing the labor market. What can we learn about new jobs from the regions where they landed first?
The view from the edge of the learning curve
New technologies are changing the labor market
New technologies are changing the labor market
What can we learn about new jobs from the regions where they landed first?
What can we learn about new jobs from the regions where they landed first?
Biotech
Biotechnology (“biotech”) uses cellular and biomolecular processes to create new technologies that improve disease treatments, food production and crop resiliency, and industrial and chemical materials production.
Industry
Biotech
Massachusetts (MA), US
Biotech on the Bay (Massachusetts)
For nearly two decades, Massachusetts has made a long-term, $2B bipartisan bet on life sciences, anchored by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. The New American Frontier examines how a region with deep institutional capacity manages the cycles of hiring booms and layoffs that followed the COVID-era biotech surge.
Top Jobs in Biotech without a BA
Priority jobs for the New American Frontier are accessible (no BA Required) and pay well (above median wages)
Source: Authors' analysis; Revelio Labs; Methodology
Biotech Fast Facts
$370B
In investments announced in the U.S. in 2025
29,487
associate's degrees at 2,514 institutions
101,164
certificates at 3,269 institutions
Awarded in biotech-relevant fields (biotechnology, biomedical, biomanufacturing) in the U.S. in 2024
21%
Roles accessible without a BA
$51,000–$111,000
Typical annual pay for non-BA jobs
Source: Authors' analysis; IPEDS; Revelio Labs; Fierce Pharma; BIO; Methodology
Technology Overview
Biotechnology (“biotech”) uses cellular and biomolecular processes to create new technologies that improve disease treatments, food production and crop resiliency, and industrial and chemical materials production.
Technology Use Cases
Small molecule drugs
Chemically synthesized, low molecular weight compounds, typically taken as pills. Used in traditional treatments for pain (e.g., aspirin) and infection (e.g., penicillin).
Biologics (e.g., monoclonal antibodies, vaccines)
Large, complex products made in living cells. Typically used for chronic disease treatment and vaccines. Generally administered by injection or infusion requiring more complex biomanufacturing and cold-chain handling.
Advanced modalities (e.g., cell and gene therapy, mRNA)
Technologies that engineer genes, cells, or nucleic acids to create new therapies (e.g., CAR-T cell therapies, mRNA vaccines). Among the fastest-growing segments of biotech, with applications in precision medicine, agriculture, and industrial uses.
Economic and National Security Implications
Economic competitiveness
Bioscience is a $1.4 trillion industry employing 2.3 million people in the U.S. across almost 150,000 businesses and contributing $882 billion in wages and benefits. The biotechnology industry is expected to grow to $5.7+ trillion globally by 2034.
National security implications
The U.S. could become more dependent on drugs developed in China, with Chinese drugs projected to account for 35% of US FDA approvals by 2040. Biotech is also critical to combating pandemics and biological threats. It can affect military capabilities through new biological or chemical agents and technologies that enhance warfighter performance.
Example Jobs without a BA
| Job title | Also known as… | What this role does | Sample skills | Common credentials | Ex. Employers | Est. Pay Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biomanufacturing Technician | Manufacturing Technician; Manufacturing Associate; Biotech Technician | Operate and maintain equipment used to make life science products | GMP manufacturing operations; Lab documentation | Certificate in Industrial Mechanics and Maintenance Technology; Certificate in Industrial Electronics Technology | AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Takeda, Sanofi | $52,000 - $92,000 |
| Process Technician | Bioprocess Associate; Continuous improvement coordinator | Monitor how products are made | Troubleshooting equipment; Data collection | Certificate or Associates in Biotechnology; Certificate or Associates in Biomedical Technology | Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Takeda, Sanofi | $56,000 - $111,000 |
| Quality Assurance Specialist | Quality Assurance Technician | Ensure products meet required procedures and standards | GMP compliance support; Batch record review | N/A | Integra LifeSciences, AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Sanofi | $70,000 - $98,000 |
| Quality Control Technician | Compound Logistics Technician; Calibration Technician; Quality Control Analyst | Test products before release | Laboratory testing; Sample handling; Assay execution | N/A | Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Takeda, Charles River Laboratories | $51,000 - $92,000 |
Biotech Education on the Bay
MassBay Community College (Massachusetts)
Biotechnology Associate in Science; Genomics and Biomanufacturing Associate in Science; Certificate in Biomanufacturing
MassBay Community College offers Associate in Science concentrations in Biotechnology and Genomics and Biomanufacturing. The Biotechnology program offers research-based study through participation in national research collaborations and teaches in-demand skills, such as recombinant DNA technology, chromatography, and mammalian cell cultures. In the Genomics and Biomanufacturing program, students learn biomanufacturing techniques such as bioreactor use, in vivo and in vitro cell culturing, Good Manufacturing Practices, equipment preparation, assays, and transcriptome and DNA sequencing analysis. The certificate in Biomanufacturing offers a shorter pathway (12mo) for entry-level biomanufacturing technician roles. The college has two centers of biotechnology, the Center for Therapeutics and Genomics Training and the Center for Biomanufacturing Education and Workforce Training.
Middlesex Community College (Massachusetts)
Biotechnology Technician Associates; Biotechnology Technician Certificate
Middlesex offers a Biotechnology Technician Certificate (29 credits) and Biotechnology Technician Associates degree (66 credits). The biotech program at Middlesex operates roughly 6,900 square feet of advanced classroom and lab space. The facilities include industry-standard equipment such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems for testing sample purity, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines for amplifying genetic material, and specialized cell-culture equipment for growing and maintaining living cells. The programs prepare students for roles such as lab technicians, cell culture technicians, process operators, and quality assurance managers, teaching skills such as quality control, production validation, process operations, DNA and protein analysis, and diagnostic procedures.
NC Community Colleges (North Carolina)
BioWork Certificate
North Carolina’s BioWork certificate program teaches the foundational skills to be a process technician, responsible for the production of chemical and pharmaceutical products. BioWork is a ~2-3-month long certificate offered at 15 of North Carolina’s community colleges. The curriculum is standard across colleges and covers skills such as process manufacturing chemistry, aseptic processing, and fermentation and cell growth in addition to workplace safety and professional skills.