Geneticsat University of Wisconsin-Madison
Graduates earn $38,388/yr in their first year — about 16.0% above the national Genetics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $641K; scenarios range from $571K to $654K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UW-Madison
A Genetics degree from UW-Madison places you in a uniquely specialized field, benefiting from the university's strong research reputation in biosciences. This academic rigor and significant grant funding attract a robust network of faculty and industry connections, shaping a career path often rooted in advanced research and development. Madison’s growing biotech ecosystem, with university spin-offs and pharmaceutical research, creates varied opportunities beyond traditional academia. You'll likely find yourself in cutting-edge lab environments, contributing to genomic analysis, drug discovery, or clinical roles like genetic counseling. While foundational lab techniques are evolving, your critical thinking and experimental design skills remain paramount, often leading to roles that demand a Master's or Ph.D. To truly leverage this degree, prioritize securing substantial research internships to gain hands-on experience and build your professional network.
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 UW-Madison'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 Genetics
How UW-Madison stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UW-Madison
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UW-Madison, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Genetics at UW-Madison
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Genetics at University of Wisconsin-Madison?
A score of 48/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Genetics. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Genetics careers?
With 48% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $571,089 in decade earnings vs $654,287 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.