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Biological Sciences · Cell Biology Rank #20 of 39

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.

Los Angeles, CA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
45 AVERAGE
46
Optimistic
42
Pessimistic
Earnings
$36,945
1-year post-graduation
ROI
10.8x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$612K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
52% task exposure
Program Analysis

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.

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
$549K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score42/100
Earnings Multiple10.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$612K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score45/100
Earnings Multiple11.1x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$619K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score46/100
Earnings Multiple11.3x
Earnings Trajectory

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.

Career Paths

Where Cell Biology 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
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
+17.3% 10-yr growth · 27,400 openings/yr
$105,620/yr
Moderate
3
Biochemists and biophysicists
+5.8% 10-yr growth · 2,900 openings/yr
$103,650/yr
Moderate
4
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
+8.7% 10-yr growth · 9,600 openings/yr
$100,590/yr
High
5
Biological scientists, all other
+1.2% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$93,330/yr
Moderate
6
Microbiologists
+4.1% 10-yr growth · 1,700 openings/yr
$87,330/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 Cell Biology

How UCLA stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Northeastern University
MA · Private nonprofit
42
DW Score
$66K
1-yr earn
1.6x
ROI
Parker University
TX · Private nonprofit
45
DW Score
$54K
1-yr earn
6.7x
ROI
Harvard University
MA · Private nonprofit
48
DW Score
$52K
1-yr earn
2.7x
ROI
Same state (CA)
California State University-San Marcos
CA · Public
62
DW Score
$50K
1-yr earn
22.4x
ROI
Top score
California State University-Northridge
CA · Public
63
DW Score
$47K
1-yr earn
26.6x
ROI
Also at UCLA

Other top programs at UCLA

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

FAQ

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.