Biological Engineering at University of Missouri-Columbia

Columbia, MO · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Biological/Biosystems Engineering
62 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
63
Optimistic
62
Base Case
61
Pessimistic
Earnings $60,190/yr (3% vs median)
AI Risk High (49% exposed)
Job Market Medium (29,200 openings/yr)
ROI 12.4x earnings multiple (5.1x out-of-state)
Ranked #5 of 8 Biological/Biosystems Engineering programs

Program Analysis

Your decision to explore Biological/Biosystems Engineering at Mizzou places you in a specialized and practical field, deeply connected to Missouri's economic strengths. This program, offered at a prominent land-grant university, often means a curriculum with strong ties to agricultural technology, food processing, sustainable systems, and environmental engineering. You'll likely find pathways into optimizing production, developing bio-based materials, or designing solutions for water and waste management with employers across the Midwest, from major agricultural corporations to environmental consulting firms and manufacturing. While some foundational tasks in engineering face automation risks, your career trajectory emphasizes higher-level problem-solving and management, as evidenced by the advanced roles engineers in this field often ascend to. Focus on developing robust interdisciplinary skills and practical project experience. Seek out internships that let you apply your technical knowledge to complex, real-world challenges, ensuring you differentiate your expertise beyond what AI can replicate.

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Biological Engineering graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $725K $703K $623K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 12.8x 12.4x 11.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.3x 5.1x 4.5x
Probability of Field Employment 73% 66% 48%
DegreeOutlook Score 63 62 61

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$56,520
Out-of-state: $137,352 (5.1x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$79,556
-41% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$23,000
4.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$77,295
28% growth from Year 1

About University of Missouri-Columbia

A 77% acceptance rate means University of Missouri-Columbia is accessible to most applicants, with 23,118 students enrolled in Columbia, MO.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Missouri-Columbia →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Engineers, all other $117,750/yr
Bioengineers and biomedical engineers $106,950/yr
View all 4 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Biological Engineering at Other Schools

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Missouri-Columbia's Biological Engineering program score?
A score of 62/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but University of Missouri-Columbia trails the majority of Biological Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
How vulnerable is Biological Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Biological Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 49% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →