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Biological Sciences · Biochemistry Rank #8 of 136

Biochemistryat University of California-Davis

Graduates earn $42,266/yr in their first year — about 11.0% above the national Biochemistry average. Base-case 10-year earnings $815K; scenarios range from $707K to $844K depending on AI disruption.

Davis, CA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
55 SOLID
56
Optimistic
54
Pessimistic
Earnings
$42,266
1-year post-graduation
ROI
13.4x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$815K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
50% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at UC Davis

Your strong showing in this program reflects UC Davis's robust research environment and strategic location. The university's deep ties to California's biotech industry, particularly in the Sacramento and Bay Area regions, create a fertile ground for internships and post-graduate roles within companies like Genentech, Amgen, or various university research labs. The foundational scientific training you'll receive here is highly valued for its rigor, often paving the way for advanced degrees in medicine or research, which typically lead to the higher-earning roles seen on this page. However, with increasing automation in labs and data analysis, proactively building computational and bioinformatics skills will be crucial to mitigate AI risks and position you for leadership in a rapidly evolving field. Seek out those opportunities for hands-on research early.

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
$707K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score54/100
Earnings Multiple11.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$815K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score55/100
Earnings Multiple13.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$844K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score56/100
Earnings Multiple13.8x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to UC Davis's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Biochemistry 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
Biochemists and biophysicists
+5.8% 10-yr growth · 2,900 openings/yr
$103,650/yr
Moderate
3
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
+8.7% 10-yr growth · 9,600 openings/yr
$100,590/yr
High
4
Biological scientists, all other
+1.2% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$93,330/yr
Moderate
5
Microbiologists
+4.1% 10-yr growth · 1,700 openings/yr
$87,330/yr
Moderate
6
Biological science teachers, postsecondary
+7.3% 10-yr growth · 5,400 openings/yr
$83,460/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 Biochemistry

How UC Davis stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Northeastern University
MA · Private nonprofit
53
DW Score
$64K
1-yr earn
2.9x
ROI
Same state (CA)
California State University-San Marcos
CA · Public
54
DW Score
$58K
1-yr earn
17.6x
ROI
Top score
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
CA · Public
61
DW Score
$58K
1-yr earn
15.4x
ROI
MCPHS University
MA · Private nonprofit
47
DW Score
$52K
1-yr earn
3.6x
ROI
University of Colorado Boulder
CO · Public
53
DW Score
$50K
1-yr earn
9.5x
ROI
Also at UC Davis

Other top programs at UC Davis

Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC Davis, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Biochemistry at UC Davis

How does University of California-Davis's Biochemistry program score?

This program scores 55/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Biochemistry graduates.

How vulnerable is Biochemistry to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Biochemistry 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.