Biologyat Swarthmore College
Graduates earn $41,122/yr in their first year — about 28.0% above the national Biology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $630K; scenarios range from $571K to $640K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Swarthmore College
A Swarthmore biology degree positions you exceptionally well, not just in science, but in fields demanding rigorous analytical thinking. The robust curriculum and intense research opportunities, often leveraging the rich academic and biotech ecosystem around Philadelphia, prepare graduates for competitive roles in pharma, clinical research, and advanced scientific inquiry. Your foundational skills are highly valued, leading many to top-tier graduate programs—medical school, PhDs, or even law and business—where the critical thinking honed at Swarthmore translates directly into success.
While some routine biological tasks face increasing AI integration, your Swarthmore education equips you to lead and innovate with these tools, not be replaced by them. You'll be designing experiments, interpreting complex data, and managing scientific teams. Therefore, actively seek internships that expose you to data science or bioinformatics, further future-proofing your expertise.
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 Swarthmore 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 Swarthmore College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Swarthmore College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Swarthmore 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 Swarthmore College
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Biology at Swarthmore College?
A score of 38/100 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 $570,582 in decade earnings vs $640,292 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Is Swarthmore College a hidden gem for Biology?
After financial aid, the average student pays $74,744 over four years — 70% below the $249,648 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.