Microbiology & Immunologyat University of California-Davis
Graduates earn $46,005/yr in their first year — about 20.0% above the national Microbiology & Immunology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $802K; scenarios range from $686K to $815K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC Davis
UC Davis’s strong reputation in biological sciences, particularly its research output, directly translates to the significant career opportunities you'll find with this degree. Your studies benefit from the university’s deep connections to California’s thriving biotech industry in the Bay Area, as well as the robust public health and food science sectors throughout the region. Graduates are highly sought after by major pharmaceutical firms, innovative biotech startups, and government agencies involved in health and environmental regulation. While some routine lab tasks may face future automation, your education provides a foundational understanding that positions you for leadership in research, quality control, and scientific management roles. To truly excel and mitigate AI risk, prioritize securing extensive hands-on research experience during your studies.
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 Davis'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 Davis stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UC Davis
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC Davis, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Microbiology & Immunology at UC Davis
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Microbiology & Immunology at University of California-Davis?
A score of 66/100 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 $685,867 in decade earnings vs $814,773 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.