Biologyat Barnard College
Graduates earn $47,329/yr in their first year — about 47.0% above the national Biology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $515K; scenarios range from $481K to $517K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Barnard College
Barnard's Biology program, situated in the heart of New York City, offers a unique blend of rigorous liberal arts education and unparalleled access to cutting-edge scientific institutions. Your strong earnings potential reflects the robust academic preparation you'll receive and the vast network of opportunities in the region's healthcare, pharmaceutical, and biotech sectors. Graduates frequently leverage their critical thinking and analytical skills, honed in a demanding environment, to excel in research labs, clinical settings at major NYC hospitals, or even in science policy and communication roles.
The "high AI risk" for general biology primarily indicates that foundational lab work or data tasks may become automated. To mitigate this, many Barnard graduates pursue advanced degrees like an MD or PhD, or specialize in areas requiring complex human judgment, project leadership, or interdisciplinary expertise – skills central to the managerial and scientific careers listed. Therefore, actively pursuing internships and research opportunities throughout your degree, especially those with a data science or project management component, will be crucial for positioning yourself for long-term success.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Barnard College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Biology
How Barnard College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Barnard College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Barnard College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Biology offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Biology trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Biology at Barnard College
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Biology at Barnard College?
A score of 40/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Biology. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Biology careers?
With 40% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $481,221 in decade earnings vs $517,010 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.