Microbiology programs in Ontario
16 programs across 11 campuses, with published admission ranges starting at 70%. Sorted by the range each one publishes, lowest first, so you can see where you land.
Programs
16
Campuses
11
Lowest range
70%
What this leads to
The picture for microbiology as of 2026-08-17, not a description of this particular program.
Clinical microbiologist and microbiology technician roles work in research science, quality control analysis, and laboratory management. Employment is found in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, food safety, environmental agencies, and academic research institutions.
In its favour
- Many entry-level jobs available across Canada right now with 289 postings on a single job board in August 2026
- Clinical microbiology positions offer decent pay—infection control specialist roles in remote areas start around $89,000 and reach $110,000
- Work is essential and cannot be outsourced; bacterial identification and quality control still require human oversight and decision-making
Worth knowing
- Automation is actively displacing routine technical work: AI systems now handle specimen processing, staining, imaging, and plate reading that technicians used to do manually
- Early career positions often require 1–3 years experience even for entry roles, creating a catch-22 for new graduates without internships
- A bachelor's degree is just the floor; many roles prefer or require master's degrees or professional certifications like CLS (Clinical Laboratory Scientist)
How AI is changing this work
AI can automate pathogen identification and streamline laboratory workflows, and AI algorithms now detect organisms of interest on culture plates automatically. The routine technical work—specimen handling, plate reading, colony identification—is being automated now, not someday. However, final interpretations and reporting are still performed by qualified laboratory personnel, so jobs aren't disappearing entirely. If you enter this field, you'll be working alongside automation, not competing with it: your value shifts from doing the repetitive tasks to the judgment calls that machines still need humans for.
Where this came from (6 sources)
- 1. $20-$37/hr Microbiology Jobs in Quebec (NOW HIRING) Mar 2026
- 2. 204 microbiology jobs in Canada, February 2026 | Glassdoor
- 3. 186 medical microbiology jobs in Canada, May 2026 | Glassdoor
- 4. 14 microbiologist jobs in Canada, May 2026 | Glassdoor
- 5. 289 microbiology Jobs in Canada, August 2026
- 6. $35K–$135K Microbiology Jobs in Canada, 18 May 2026 | Indeed
All 16 programs
- 70–75%LakeheadApplied Life Sciences (Thunder Bay and Orillia)
- 70%LakeheadBiology (includes Environmental Science, Animal Sciences, Plant Sciences, and Biodiversity and Conservation) (Thunder Bay)
- 73–77%Laurier (Waterloo)Biology (BA or BSc)
- 73–80%York (Glendon)Biology (BSc, iBSc)
- 73–83%YorkBiology (iBSc - Co-op available)
- 73–80%U of T (Scarborough)Life Sciences - Health Sciences Stream (regular and co-op)
- 73–80%U of T (Scarborough)Life Sciences (regular and co-op)
- 80–85%GuelphBachelor of One Health (BOH) (cp-op option)
- 80–85%GuelphBachelor of Science (BSc) General
- 80–91%GuelphBachelor of Science (BSc) Honours
- 80–87%YorkBiology (BSc - Co-op available)
- 80–83%WaterlooLife Sciences (Regular/Co-op)
- 83–90%U of T (St. George)Life Sciences (including Psychology)
- 83–90%WesternMedical Sciences
- 93–97%Queen'sHealth Sciences
- 93–97%McMasterLife Sciences Gateway
Other subjects
- Business Studies 203
- Interdisciplinary Studies 187
- Computer Science 135
- Education Studies 117
- Environmental Studies 116
- Psychology 109
- General or Integrated Engineering 104
- Law & Criminology 101
- Media and Communication Studies 98
- Economics 95
- Biological Sciences 92
- Others in Subjects Related to Medicine 92
Ranges are what universities publish, not guaranteed cutoffs. Work out your top 6 to see which of these you actually clear.