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Biological Sciences · Biology Rank #354 of 822

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.

New York, NY Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
40 AVERAGE
40
Optimistic
36
Pessimistic
Earnings
$47,329
1-year post-graduation
ROI
0.8x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$515K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
45% task exposure
Program Analysis

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.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$481K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score36/100
Earnings Multiple1.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$515K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score40/100
Earnings Multiple1.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$517K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score40/100
Earnings Multiple2.0x
Earnings Trajectory

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.

Career Paths

Where Biology graduates typically work

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.

1
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
2
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
+8.7% 10-yr growth · 9,600 openings/yr
$100,590/yr
High
3
Biological scientists, all other
+1.2% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$93,330/yr
Moderate
4
Life scientists, all other
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 400 openings/yr
$87,800/yr
Low
5
Biological science teachers, postsecondary
+7.3% 10-yr growth · 5,400 openings/yr
$83,460/yr
Moderate
6
Forensic science technicians
+12.8% 10-yr growth · 2,900 openings/yr
$67,440/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Biology

How Barnard College stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
University of San Diego
CA · Private nonprofit
45
DW Score
$54K
1-yr earn
2.1x
ROI
Trinity College
CT · Private nonprofit
42
DW Score
$52K
1-yr earn
0.9x
ROI
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
MA · Private nonprofit
50
DW Score
$52K
1-yr earn
2.5x
ROI
Edgewood College
WI · Private nonprofit
45
DW Score
$51K
1-yr earn
3.1x
ROI
Top score
Shepherd University
WV · Public
59
DW Score
$49K
1-yr earn
15.8x
ROI
Also at Barnard College

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 →
FAQ

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.