Microbiology & Immunologyat San Francisco State University
Graduates earn $56,071/yr in their first year — about 47.0% above the national Microbiology & Immunology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $740K; scenarios range from $642K to $751K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at SF State
Your strong financial outlook from this program isn't just a number; it's a direct reflection of San Francisco's unparalleled life sciences ecosystem. The Bay Area is a global hub for biotech, pharmaceuticals, and health innovation, hosting a high concentration of firms like Genentech, Gilead Sciences, and countless startups. SF State graduates benefit immensely from this proximity, often finding direct pipelines into research associate, lab management, or quality control roles that command excellent salaries due to regional demand and the program's practical focus. While some lab tasks face increasing automation, the critical thinking and collaborative skills you'll develop are irreplaceable. To truly leverage this advantage, actively seek out internships and networking opportunities with local companies from day one, as these connections are critical for navigating the competitive, yet lucrative, Bay Area job market.
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 SF State'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 Microbiology & Immunology
How SF State stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at SF State
Other highest-scoring programs offered at SF State, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Microbiology & Immunology at SF State
How does San Francisco State University's Microbiology & Immunology program score?
A score of 74/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. San Francisco State University's Microbiology & Immunology graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Microbiology & Immunology to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Microbiology & Immunology careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 45% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does San Francisco State University rank so high for Microbiology & Immunology?
The #1 ranking out of 57 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.