Biologyat University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduates earn $33,471/yr in their first year — about 4.0% above the national Biology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $623K; scenarios range from $565K to $632K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Your UNC Chapel Hill Biology degree opens doors due to the university's strong academic reputation and its prime location. The Research Triangle Park (RTP) ecosystem, just a stone's throw away, is a major advantage. This region is a hotbed for pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare companies like Biogen, GSK, and numerous startups, along with top-tier research institutions.
While "General Biology" offers a broad foundation, its versatility means you'll need to proactively shape your path. Many graduates leverage this degree for pre-med or pre-grad school preparation, finding initial roles as research assistants or lab technicians within UNC Health or RTP firms. Given the rising AI risk in some analytical and lab-based roles, focusing your coursework on specific sub-disciplines like bioinformatics, genomics, or data science, alongside securing multiple hands-on internships in the RTP, will be crucial for competitive, high-growth careers.
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 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill'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 Biology
How University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Biology offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Biology trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Biology at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
How does University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Biology program score?
This program scores 50/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Biology graduates.
How vulnerable is Biology to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Biology careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 40% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.