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Physiology Degree

62 schools compared · Average earnings $31,043/yr

Students study how organ systems function in health and disease, including cardiovascular, respiratory, neural, and endocrine physiology alongside the mechanisms of disease. Graduates typically pursue careers in medical research, pharmaceutical development, clinical laboratory science, and as top candidates for medical, dental, and physical therapy programs. This major provides the deepest understanding of human body function among biology specialties.

What Physiology Graduates Do

Your degree will immerse you in the intricate mechanics of the human body, preparing you for careers at the forefront of health and discovery. Many graduates become medical scientists, working in labs to design experiments that unravel the mysteries of disease and develop new treatments. Your days could involve analyzing biological samples, testing drug compounds, and publishing findings that push medicine forward. Others pursue advanced degrees to become health specialties teachers, training future doctors and nurses in university classrooms and labs.

With experience, a successful scientist can advance to a natural sciences manager role, leading research teams and directing strategy. While the demand for medical scientists and educators is growing quickly, AI will reshape the work. With moderate exposure, expect AI to automate significant chunks of routine data analysis, freeing you to focus on complex problem-solving, experimental design, and interpreting results. Your career will depend on your adaptability and your ability to leverage these powerful new tools for discovery.

Schools Offering

Avg Grad Earnings

$31,043/yr

Avg DegreeOutlook Score

36/100

AI Automation Risk

High

51% task exposure

Common Career Paths

Where Physiology graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 60,300 combined openings per year.

Career Path	Salary Range	Openings/yr	Growth	AI Risk
Natural sciences managers	$161,180 $114K$215K	8,500	+3.7%	50%
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary	$105,620 $74K$176K	27,400	+17.3%	48%
Biochemists and biophysicists	$103,650 $79K$134K	2,900	+5.8%	45%
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists	$100,590 $77K$134K	9,600	+8.7%	52%
Biological scientists, all other	$93,330 $68K$121K	4,800	+1.2%	49%
Biological science teachers, postsecondary	$83,460 $64K$125K	5,400	+7.3%	47%
Exercise physiologists	$58,160 $49K–$65K	1,700	+9.5%	26%

Natural sciences managers

$161,180

$114K $215K

8,500 openings/yr +3.7% growth 50% AI risk

Health specialties teachers, postsecondary

$105,620

$74K $176K

27,400 openings/yr +17.3% growth 48% AI risk

Biochemists and biophysicists

$103,650

$79K $134K

2,900 openings/yr +5.8% growth 45% AI risk

Medical scientists, except epidemiologists

$100,590

$77K $134K

9,600 openings/yr +8.7% growth 52% AI risk

Biological scientists, all other

$93,330

$68K $121K

4,800 openings/yr +1.2% growth 49% AI risk

Biological science teachers, postsecondary

$83,460

$64K $125K

5,400 openings/yr +7.3% growth 47% AI risk

Exercise physiologists

$58,160

$49K–$65K

1,700 openings/yr +9.5% growth 26% AI risk

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).

How do Physiology programs stack up? See 62 schools ranked by earnings and value →

Best Schools for Physiology

Top 20 of 62 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.

#	School	DW Score	Earnings	ROI
1	San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA	54 54–55	$36,707/yr	25.2x
2	Ohio University-Eastern Campus Saint Clairsville, OH	53 53–54	$36,886/yr	27.9x
3	Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus Chillicothe, OH	53 53–54	$36,886/yr	27.9x
4	Ohio University-Southern Campus Ironton, OH	53 53–54	$36,886/yr	27.9x
5	Ohio University-Lancaster Campus Lancaster, OH	53 53–54	$36,886/yr	27.9x
6	Ohio University-Zanesville Campus Zanesville, OH	53 53–54	$36,886/yr	27.9x
7	University of California-Davis Davis, CA	48 47–48	$37,550/yr	11.2x
8	Ohio University-Main Campus Athens, OH	47 47–48	$36,886/yr	12.0x
9	University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury, CT	46 44–47	$39,712/yr	8.8x
10	University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton, CT	46 44–47	$39,712/yr	8.8x
11	University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford, CT	46 44–47	$39,712/yr	8.8x
12	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford, CT	46 44–47	$39,712/yr	8.8x
13	University of Connecticut Storrs, CT	45 43–45	$39,712/yr	7.4x
14	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA	43 44–44	$32,970/yr	12.7x
15	Brigham Young University Provo, UT	43 44–44	$25,101/yr	26.0x
16	University of Wyoming Laramie, WY	43 43–43	$23,766/yr	24.5x
17	University of Florida Gainesville, FL	42 43–43	$24,588/yr	25.2x
18	Florida State University Tallahassee, FL	42 43–43	$23,574/yr	29.1x
19	University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO	41 41–41	$33,926/yr	9.3x
20	University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst, MA	41 42–42	$31,915/yr	10.0x
21	University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC	41 43–42	$30,779/yr	18.2x
22	Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA	41 42–41	$30,340/yr	15.5x
23	University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY	41 43–42	$29,123/yr	14.8x
24	Brigham Young University-Idaho Rexburg, ID	40 41–41	$25,831/yr	29.1x
25	Gettysburg College Gettysburg, PA	39 37–39	$37,977/yr	2.4x
26	California State University-San Marcos San Marcos, CA	39 38–39	$36,889/yr	10.9x
27	East Carolina University Greenville, NC	39 41–40	$27,494/yr	18.4x
28	West Virginia University Morgantown, WV	39 40–40	$24,463/yr	16.3x
29	University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA	39 39–39	$23,151/yr	13.0x
30	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN	38 40–39	$31,613/yr	9.4x
31	California State University-Chico Chico, CA	38 40–39	$25,952/yr	17.4x
32	Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA	38 39–39	$25,379/yr	17.0x
33	University of Arizona Tucson, AZ	37 39–38	$28,435/yr	11.1x
34	Michigan State University East Lansing, MI	36 37–37	$29,642/yr	9.3x
35	University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, SC	36 37–36	$27,374/yr	11.4x
36	University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI	35 35–36	$35,727/yr	11.3x
37	University of Oregon Eugene, OR	35 37–36	$27,502/yr	9.9x
38	SUNY Brockport Brockport, NY	35 35–35	$22,986/yr	14.9x
39	Life University Marietta, GA	34 33–34	$36,662/yr	5.1x
40	Gonzaga University Spokane, WA	33 33–33	$33,486/yr	2.6x
41	The University of Montana Missoula, MT	32 33–33	$32,671/yr	9.0x
42	Midwestern State University Wichita Falls, TX	32 34–33	$27,539/yr	11.6x
43	University of Colorado Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, CO	31 32–32	$32,629/yr	7.4x
44	Wichita State University Wichita, KS	30 32–31	$32,125/yr	7.6x
45	College of Charleston Charleston, SC	30 32–31	$27,467/yr	9.4x
46	Kansas State University Manhattan, KS	29 31–30	$31,958/yr	6.3x
47	Ashland University Ashland, OH	29 30–30	$31,192/yr	4.1x
48	Boston University Boston, MA	27 27–28	$35,873/yr	0.4x
49	Marquette University Milwaukee, WI	27 28–28	$31,173/yr	2.4x
50	Auburn University Auburn, AL	27 28–27	$29,884/yr	5.0x
51	University of South Carolina-Upstate Spartanburg, SC	27 28–28	$28,616/yr	8.7x
52	Ithaca College Ithaca, NY	24 25–25	$32,794/yr	1.9x
53	Oregon State University Corvallis, OR	24 25–25	$27,182/yr	4.0x
54	California Baptist University Riverside, CA	23 24–24	$31,146/yr	1.0x
55	Taylor University Upland, IN	22 24–23	$30,723/yr	1.0x
56	Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY	22 23–23	$30,632/yr	0.2x
57	Shenandoah University Winchester, VA	22 23–23	$24,058/yr	3.1x
58	Seattle Pacific University Seattle, WA	19 20–20	$26,478/yr	0.7x
59	Baldwin Wallace University Berea, OH	19 19–19	$21,454/yr	2.6x
60	University of Miami Coral Gables, FL	18 20–19	$28,243/yr	1.6x
61	Creighton University Omaha, NE	18 18–19	$23,926/yr	0.3x
62	Ursinus College Collegeville, PA	17 18–18	$26,123/yr	1.5x

Highest Earning Physiology Programs

Schools where Physiology graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

School	1-Year Earnings	DW Score
University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus	$39,712/yr	46
University of Connecticut-Avery Point	$39,712/yr	46
University of Connecticut-Stamford	$39,712/yr	46
University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus	$39,712/yr	46
University of Connecticut	$39,712/yr	45
Gettysburg College	$37,977/yr	39
University of California-Davis	$37,550/yr	48
California State University-San Marcos	$36,889/yr	39
Ohio University-Eastern Campus	$36,886/yr	53
Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus	$36,886/yr	53

Best ROI for Physiology

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Physiology.

School	ROI Multiple	Earnings	DW Score
Brigham Young University-Idaho	29.1x	$25,831/yr	40
Florida State University	29.1x	$23,574/yr	42
Ohio University-Eastern Campus	27.9x	$36,886/yr	53
Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus	27.9x	$36,886/yr	53
Ohio University-Southern Campus	27.9x	$36,886/yr	53
Ohio University-Lancaster Campus	27.9x	$36,886/yr	53
Ohio University-Zanesville Campus	27.9x	$36,886/yr	53
Brigham Young University	26.0x	$25,101/yr	43
University of Florida	25.2x	$24,588/yr	42
San Francisco State University	25.2x	$36,707/yr	54

Want to compare two Physiology programs side by side? Use the comparison tool →

Related Majors

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Consider the Trade Route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Physiology offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Physiology graduates make in their first year?

The median first-year salary across 62 Physiology programs is $31,043. School selection matters — the gap between the lowest ($21,454) and highest ($39,712) earning programs is significant.

What is the AI automation risk for Physiology?

AI exposure for Physiology is rated "High." With 51% of tasks potentially affected by large language models, most career functions face meaningful automation pressure in the coming decade.

What's the top-ranked school for Physiology?

San Francisco State University leads all 62 programs with a DegreeOutlook Score of 54/100. Graduates earn $36,707/yr — the ranking weighs earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size equally.

Is a Physiology degree worth the investment?

The average 10-year earnings multiple is 11.5x tuition. This is a strong return on investment. The spread between the best and worst programs is wide, so individual school selection has a major impact.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →