There are countless mysteries about planets and moons, about solar systems, about galaxies and the space between them. We humans have been trying for ages to get the answers for our curiosity about its existence and life on it. We are too curious about Aliens and UFOs, Asteroids and Black holes, time gaping and mapping and can be there a possibility of other Solar systems like ours. If you want to relish the company of heavenly bodies and research on its various unlimited aspects then, a Degree in Astrobiology will feed your interest well.

Astrobiology is relatively a new stream that studies the origin of life, early evolution, distribution, and future of experience in the Universe. It also deals with questions related to the existence of Extraterrestrial life. It requires a comprehensive, integrated understanding of biological, planetary, and cosmic phenomena.  Astrobiology program explores the experience of the students in planetary Science, extra solar planets, and the origin of life. At the same time, students take a solid core of mathematics, physics, and biology courses, allowing them to pursue a wide range of interests.

Career Scope: -

Students with a degree in Astrobiology can look forward to for a career such as:

• Astronomy.
• Geology.
• Space Sciences Research.
• Biomedical Research.
• Environment Research.
• Post-Secondary Teaching.
• University-based Research

In preparation for an astrobiology career, students often take part in Seminars and internships with local and national companies. Some of these companies like;

NASA

• The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
• Sandia National Labs
• The American Institute of Physics

These internship opportunities allow them to gather the necessary experience and put them ahead of the competition when searching for an astrobiology career.

Education Required:-

• To be a  NASA scientist, you must have a bachelor's degree in physics, astrophysics, astronomy, geology, space science, or a similar field.
• One who wants to pursue this degree after 10+2 level hardly there are few colleges like Florida Institute of Technology offers the Astrobiology Program for Undergraduates. The candidate applying for an undergraduate from this field must be from science stream and must-have basics of mathematics.
• For Masters in Astrobiology minimum qualification required is the Bachelor's degree in any Science, astronomy, Space Science, geology, Chemistry, Biology or related field from a recognized university.
• Candidates with their Bachelor in subjects like Bio geochemistry, Microbiology, Geological Science, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, etc.  also have the option of pursuing a specialized course in Astrobiology.
• There are even online courses which helps the Aspirants to become Astrobiologist.

Salary:-

It is a new stream, and it is difficult to range the salary for astrobiology jobs. Taking California as the location (NAI headquarters), the salary-comparison website Vault.com estimates astrobiologists earn anywhere from $25,000 to $100,000-plus per year, depending on experience. BiologySalary says $50,000 to $110,000, with an average of about $60,000 to $95,000. CareerBuilder has $90,000 as the average.

 NASA considers the level of work and the responsibility you handle, in determining and increasing salaries. The median wage stated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and those advertised by NASA, as shown in the education section is over $100,000, which is level GS-14 and above.

 Growth:-

Opportunities for physicists, astrophysicists, and astronomers are expected to grow 14 percent from 2016 to 2026, which is significantly faster than employment in general. Entry-level jobs are always tough to break. A high GPA, an advanced degree, and internships or work experience involving unusual or cutting-edge research could be a plus that sets you apart from other candidates.