Microbiology & Immunologyat University of California-Berkeley
Graduates earn $50,706/yr in their first year — about 33.0% above the national Microbiology & Immunology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $538K; scenarios range from $496K to $540K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC Berkeley
Your strong foundation from UC Berkeley in Microbiological Sciences and Immunology positions you exceptionally well. This program, from an elite research institution, emphasizes rigorous scientific inquiry, attracting top talent and preparing you for advanced roles. Being in the Bay Area, a global hub for biotech and pharmaceutical innovation, provides unparalleled access to internships, research opportunities, and early career placements with leading companies and institutions like Genentech or Amgen. While AI risk is noted, this often reflects the automation of routine lab work; the critical thinking, research design, and managerial skills you develop remain highly valued for roles like natural sciences managers. Many top careers in this specialized field increasingly require graduate-level education. Therefore, prioritize securing extensive research experience and explore advanced degree pathways to maximize your long-term potential.
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 UC Berkeley'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 UC Berkeley stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UC Berkeley
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC Berkeley, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Microbiology & Immunology at UC Berkeley
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Microbiology & Immunology at University of California-Berkeley?
A score of 52/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Microbiology & Immunology field.
Will AI replace Microbiology & Immunology careers?
With 45% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $496,349 in decade earnings vs $539,547 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.