Biotechnology Certificate Program
UCSC Silicon Valley Extension · Santa Clara, CA
- Cost
- $7,770
- Length
- 52 weeks
- Working 6 months later
- 67%
Program names, program descriptions and occupation titles appear here in English, because that is the only language the federal and state records publish them in. Everything else on this page is translated.
What happened to people who took this
- People enrolled
- 41
Small group — treat with caution
- Finished the program
- 100%Based on 14 peopleTypical California program: 85% of 1,951 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Working 6 months later
- 67%Typical California program: 69% of 1,690 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
The jobs this trains for
This describes the jobs people do, not the classes this program teaches. It comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, which asks people already doing the work. The Department publishes it in English only, so the job names and the sentences below stay in English on this page.
Trains for more than one job. The outlook shown is the weakest of them.
Where California publishes a separate figure for San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties), it appears beneath the statewide one. Statewide stays the headline: people who train here do not necessarily work here.
Data Scientists
The Department publishes no list of daily tasks for this job. This is how it describes the work instead.
Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.
What this pays in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties) | $112,812 | $190,261 | $290,758 |
| Across California | $79,649 | $145,554 | $231,216 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $145,554per yearSan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: $177,866
- Projected openings
- 40,180San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 4,800
- Projected change
- +37.1%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- None
No earlier job experience is expected, and new hires are not put through a long training period. For work like this, a program is usually the way in.
These are the federal government's answers for the occupation, not rules this provider sets. California publishes the same two answers for every one of these jobs.
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: Four-year degree — 40% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: Bachelor's degree. 13% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 0.4%
- High school diploma
- 3%
- Started college, no degree
- 6%
- Two-year degree
- 4%
- Four-year degree
- 40%
- Master's degree
- 35%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 11%
This counts people already doing this job, across the whole United States. Every other figure on this page is California's, and the federal government publishes no state version of this one. It is what people happen to have, not a rule about who gets hired. A small row does not mean you would be turned away, and a large one is not a promise of a job.
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
Pay, hiring, and what people studied
Job ads may call this: Engineer · Process Engineer · Research Engineer · Biomedical Engineer
- Evaluate the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of biomedical equipment.
- Prepare technical reports, data summary documents, or research articles for scientific publication, regulatory submissions, or patent applications.
- Design or develop medical diagnostic or clinical instrumentation, equipment, or procedures, using the principles of engineering and biobehavioral sciences.
- Conduct research, along with life scientists, chemists, and medical scientists, on the engineering aspects of the biological systems of humans and animals.
Show 3 more things this job involves
- Adapt or design computer hardware or software for medical science uses.
- Develop statistical models or simulations, using statistical or modeling software.
- Maintain databases of experiment characteristics or results.
What this pays in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties) | $98,399 | $140,270 | $213,843 |
| Across California | $91,923 | $131,902 | $184,843 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $131,902per yearSan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: $143,281
- Projected openings
- 1,870San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 190
- Projected change
- +10.7%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- None
No earlier job experience is expected, and new hires are not put through a long training period. For work like this, a program is usually the way in.
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: Four-year degree — 45% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: Bachelor's degree. 22% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 0.5%
- High school diploma
- 4%
- Started college, no degree
- 7%
- Two-year degree
- 11%
- Four-year degree
- 45%
- Master's degree
- 24%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 9%
Program details
This is a hybrid or blended program providing both in-person and online instruction.
The Biotechnology Certificate equips professionals with a rich background in the principles processes and technologies central to biotechnology. This combination of general and practical knowledge enhances the skills of professionals currently working in this industry and helps prepare others to enter this dynamic field. The certificate program provides a solid understanding of the scientific disciplines that underlie the industry's activities, a foundation in the principles that guide drug discovery and development, an appreciation of cutting-edge bio-science research and technology, and a broader awareness of today's bio-pharmaceutical industry. This program benefits professionals from all disciplines who want to develop a solid scientific foundation in the principles and applications of biotechnology, in order to work more effectively in or transition the bio-pharmaceutical sector.
We could not reach the page in the federal record when we checked on 2026-08-04, so this links to the provider's home page instead.
Someone else may be able to pay for this
This program was on California's Eligible Training Provider List when the state last reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor (2026-08-04). Programs on that list can be paid for through an Individual Training Account. Listings are renewed periodically and can lapse, so a program listed when the state last reported may not be listed today. Ask before you rely on it.
The place to ask is an America's Job Center of California
North San Jose America`s Job Center of CaliforniaAffiliate site
Phone: 408-216-6200
1901 Zanker RoadSan Jose, CA 95112about 2.8 miles away
Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm
Has a veterans' representative
NOVAworksComprehensive center
Phone: 408-730-7232
456 W. Olive AvenueSunnyvale City HallSunnyvale, CA 94086about 4.5 miles away
Hours: Mon - Fri 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
San Jose Job CenterComprehensive center
Phone: 408-794-1101
1608 Las Plumas AvenueWork2Future-Silicon Workforce Development BoardSan Jose, CA 95133about 5.5 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8a-5p
Distances are straight-line, so the drive is longer. Call before you travel: opening hours here are as the federal directory published them, and the state notes its own staff are not present at every location.
Find a center anywhere in California, and check what is on the list today:
CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder (U.S. DOL) · California EDD — Office Locator · California EDD — Eligible Training Provider List
How this gets paid for, and what to ask →
Whether a person can have a program paid for is decided by their local workforce development board and the America's Job Center staff who interview them — not by this site, and not by the training provider. California has 45 local workforce development areas and each sets its own policies, so the answer can differ between two people in neighboring counties. Nothing here is a promise of funding or a determination of eligibility.
The rules cited here, and the state and federal sites linked to, are published in English.
How this site gets its figures, and what they do not tell you →