Clinical Laboratory Scienceat University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduates earn $56,721/yr in their first year — about 14.0% below the national Clinical Laboratory Science average. Base-case 10-year earnings $576K; scenarios range from $537K to $576K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Despite UNC Chapel Hill's elite reputation, the initial earnings for Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions often reflect regional labor markets and entry-level positions within healthcare. Many graduates find their first roles at prominent institutions like UNC Health or other hospital systems throughout North Carolina, where starting salaries for clinical lab scientists, technologists, or research assistants align with the local cost of living. The program's strength lies in its rigorous training and proximity to the Research Triangle Park, offering pathways into diagnostics, biotech, or pharmaceutical research with experience. Your foundational skills will be highly valued, but the immediate financial returns might not match fields with different career ladders. To maximize your long-term earning potential, focus on gaining specialized certifications or pursuing advanced degrees to progress into leadership or highly specialized research roles.
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 Clinical Laboratory Science
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 Clinical Laboratory Science offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Clinical Laboratory Science trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Clinical Laboratory Science at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
What does a 55/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Clinical Laboratory Science at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?
At 55/100, the score looks reasonable — but Clinical Laboratory Science is a high-scoring field overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.