Biochemistryat California State University-Los Angeles
Graduates earn $50,428/yr in their first year — about 33.0% above the national Biochemistry average. Base-case 10-year earnings $602K; scenarios range from $548K to $612K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Cal State LA
You've identified a standout program, and its strong performance reflects a powerful combination of factors. The Los Angeles region is a dynamic hub for biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical research, creating significant demand for skilled professionals in biochemistry and molecular biology. Cal State LA’s public university mission often means a curriculum tuned to workforce needs, emphasizing practical lab skills and research methodologies highly valued by employers across Southern California.
Graduates frequently find themselves in R&D labs, quality control, or clinical research roles within biotech startups, established pharmaceutical firms, or academic research institutions. While AI advancements are impacting many fields, the complex experimental design and analytical skills you'll gain are precisely what remain critical. To truly leverage this program's advantages, actively seek out internships and research opportunities within the bustling LA biotech corridor to build invaluable professional connections and practical experience.
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 Cal State LA'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 Biochemistry
How Cal State LA stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Cal State LA
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Cal State LA, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Biochemistry at Cal State LA
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Biochemistry at California State University-Los Angeles?
A score of 61/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Biochemistry field.
Will AI replace Biochemistry careers?
With 45% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $547,799 in decade earnings vs $612,203 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes California State University-Los Angeles's Biochemistry program stand out?
Ranked #2 of 136 programs nationally, California State University-Los Angeles lands in the top 1%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.