Microbiology & Immunologyat University of California-San Diego
Graduates earn $43,608/yr in their first year — about 14.0% above the national Microbiology & Immunology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $496K; scenarios range from $467K to $497K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC San Diego
First-year earnings of $43,608 at University of California-San Diego come in 14% above the national median of $38,184 for Microbiology & Immunology programs.
The earnings-to-cost ratio of 8.1x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.
Some AI exposure exists in Microbiology & Immunology's typical career paths, with 45% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 6% gap from the optimistic case.
With first-year pay of $43,608 far exceeding the $13,811 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #44 of 57 Microbiology & Immunology programs, University of California-San Diego falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
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 San Diego'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 San Diego stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UC San Diego
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC San Diego, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Microbiology & Immunology at UC San Diego
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Microbiology & Immunology at University of California-San Diego?
A score of 47/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Microbiology & Immunology. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
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 $466,731 in decade earnings vs $496,533 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.