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Engineering · Biological Engineering Rank #6 of 8

Biological Engineeringat University of Georgia

Graduates earn $62,842/yr in their first year — about 7.0% above the national Biological Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $644K; scenarios range from $579K to $659K depending on AI disruption.

Athens, GA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
54 AVERAGE
55
Optimistic
52
Pessimistic
Earnings
$62,842
1-year post-graduation
ROI
13.1x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$644K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
53% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Georgia

Your decision to pursue Biosystems Engineering at UGA places you in a unique, highly specialized field with strong regional relevance. The slightly elevated earnings potential reflects a solid demand for engineers who can integrate biological sciences with practical engineering solutions, particularly within Georgia’s significant agricultural, food processing, and environmental sectors. You'll find opportunities with companies focused on improving crop yields, designing sustainable energy systems, or optimizing industrial processes for major food manufacturers and environmental consulting firms across the Southeast.

While some routine engineering tasks are susceptible to automation, your ability to tackle complex, interdisciplinary challenges and innovate within biological systems will remain critical. Focus heavily on securing diverse internships and co-ops to gain hands-on experience, and cultivate strong communication and project management skills. This ensures you’re not just understanding the data, but leading the solutions.

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
$579K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score52/100
Earnings Multiple13.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$644K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score54/100
Earnings Multiple14.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$659K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score55/100
Earnings Multiple14.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Career Paths

Where Biological Engineering 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
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
2
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
3
Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
+5.2% 10-yr growth · 1,300 openings/yr
$106,950/yr
High
4
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Biological Engineering

How University of Georgia stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
University of California-San Diego
CA · Public
52
DW Score
$67K
1-yr earn
10.0x
ROI
Top score
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
NE · Public
65
DW Score
$62K
1-yr earn
16.7x
ROI
University of Missouri-Columbia
MO · Public
62
DW Score
$60K
1-yr earn
12.7x
ROI
Auburn University
AL · Public
63
DW Score
$59K
1-yr earn
14.0x
ROI
Oakland University
MI · Public
49
DW Score
$57K
1-yr earn
8.8x
ROI
Also at University of Georgia

Other top programs at University of Georgia

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Georgia, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Biological Engineering at University of Georgia

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Biological Engineering at University of Georgia?

This program scores 54/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Biological Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.

Will AI replace Biological Engineering careers?

With 49% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $579,466 in decade earnings vs $659,484 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.