Cell Biologyat University of California-Los Angeles
Graduates earn $36,945/yr in their first year — about 1.0% below the national Cell Biology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $612K; scenarios range from $549K to $619K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UCLA
At an institution like UCLA, a degree in Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences often serves as a robust foundation for advanced studies, rather than a direct entry point into top-tier earning roles immediately after graduation. Many graduates leverage this rigorous program for medical school, PhDs in biomedical sciences, or research-intensive post-doctoral positions within the thriving Los Angeles biotech and healthcare ecosystem, which naturally defers higher earnings until later in their careers.
This path, while academically rewarding, means your initial professional years are likely spent in further education or entry-level research, building specialized expertise. The high AI risk in some related fields underscores the importance of developing critical thinking, experimental design, and complex data interpretation skills that automation can't replicate. To maximize your long-term potential, immerse yourself in research opportunities and build strong faculty relationships from day one; these connections are crucial for securing competitive graduate school placements or coveted industry positions at places like Amgen or local university labs.
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 UCLA'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 Cell Biology
How UCLA stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UCLA
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UCLA, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Cell Biology at UCLA
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Cell Biology at University of California-Los Angeles?
A score of 45/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Cell Biology. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Cell Biology careers?
With 46% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $548,722 in decade earnings vs $619,460 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.