Microbiological Sciences and Immunology: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 63 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$40,811 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
12.0 yrsModeled economic break-even
−17%Modeled 10-year ROI
$65,366Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$65,366Median reported earnings · year 4
$64,675Average reported earnings · year 5
$21,868Median federal debt
54thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
63Reporting programs
53With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
CURRENT VIEW
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $65,366
- Federal debt
- $21,868
- Reporting programs
- 63
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $97,683
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 6
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,039
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$58,491National median$65,36675th percentile$69,269
53 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of California, Berkeley$103,5462University of California, Santa Barbara$90,0613San Francisco State University$85,0374Clemson University$81,5265San Diego State University$81,1226Miami University-Oxford$77,1637Washington State University$76,3848California State University, Chico$74,8889University of California, Davis$74,34310California State University, Long Beach$73,988Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1042 · 8 crosswalk linksBiological Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1029 · 7 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 7 crosswalk linksMedical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsSOC 19-1042 · 6 crosswalk linksMicrobiologistsSOC 19-1022 · 6 crosswalk linksBiological TechniciansSOC 19-4021 · 3 crosswalk linksEpidemiologistsSOC 19-1041 · 1 crosswalk linksFood Science TechniciansSOC 19-4013 · 1 crosswalk linksHealth Specialties Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1071 · 1 crosswalk linksMedical and Health Services ManagersSOC 11-9111 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California, BerkeleyBachelor's Degree | Berkeley, CA | $103,546 | $14,308 | +150% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | University of California, Santa BarbaraBachelor's Degree | Santa Barbara, CA | $90,061 | $16,500 | +84% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | San Francisco State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Francisco, CA | $85,037 | $24,120 | +75% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | Clemson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Clemson, SC | $81,526 | $25,762 | +36% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | San Diego State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Diego, CA | $81,122 | $15,500 | +50% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | Miami University-OxfordBachelor's Degree | Oxford, OH | $77,163 | $27,000 | +10% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | Washington State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Pullman, WA | $76,384 | $21,250 | +31% | Positive payoff |
| 8 | California State University, ChicoBachelor's Degree | Chico, CA | $74,888 | $24,572 | +26% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | University of California, DavisBachelor's Degree | Davis, CA | $74,343 | $11,000 | +23% | Positive payoff |
| 10 | California State University, Long BeachBachelor's Degree | Long Beach, CA | $73,988 | Not available | +31% | Positive payoff |
| 11 | University of Washington-Seattle CampusBachelor's Degree | Seattle, WA | $73,944 | $15,917 | +22% | Positive payoff |
| 12 | University of California, RiversideBachelor's Degree | Riverside, CA | $72,295 | $14,121 | +15% | Positive payoff |
| 13 | Texas Tech UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lubbock, TX | $69,628 | $22,985 | -4% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Colorado State University-Fort CollinsBachelor's Degree | Fort Collins, CO | $69,269 | $26,000 | -8% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Indiana University-BloomingtonBachelor's Degree | Bloomington, IN | $69,128 | Not available | -2% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Weber State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ogden, UT | $68,597 | $24,383 | +7% | Positive payoff |
| 17 | University of Wisconsin-La CrosseBachelor's Degree | La Crosse, WI | $68,454 | $25,464 | -4% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesBachelor's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $68,398 | $23,685 | -5% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | University of Wisconsin-MadisonBachelor's Degree | Madison, WI | $68,397 | $23,480 | -6% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Blacksburg, VA | $67,253 | $24,135 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | University of Massachusetts-AmherstBachelor's Degree | Amherst, MA | $66,642 | $27,000 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Brigham Young UniversityBachelor's Degree | Provo, UT | $66,603 | $12,250 | -11% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | University of Nevada-RenoBachelor's Degree | Reno, NV | $66,355 | $19,500 | -12% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Ohio State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Columbus, OH | $66,222 | $20,500 | -15% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | University of KansasBachelor's Degree | Lawrence, KS | $65,861 | $27,000 | -17% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Texas State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Marcos, TX | $65,502 | $25,000 | -17% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | California State University, Los AngelesBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $65,366 | $19,334 | +4% | Positive payoff |
| 28 | University of VermontBachelor's Degree | Burlington, VT | $65,120 | $25,000 | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | University of California, Los AngelesBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $65,024 | $14,000 | -13% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | North Carolina State University at RaleighBachelor's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $64,510 | $24,486 | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | University of California, San DiegoBachelor's Degree | La Jolla, CA | $64,428 | $13,811 | -15% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | University of FloridaBachelor's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $64,285 | $16,446 | -6% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | University of Florida-OnlineBachelor's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $64,285 | $16,446 | -3% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | North Dakota State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Fargo, ND | $64,014 | $25,543 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | University of Nebraska-LincolnBachelor's Degree | Lincoln, NE | $62,095 | $25,941 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Michigan State UniversityBachelor's Degree | East Lansing, MI | $61,953 | $29,301 | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusBachelor's Degree | Norman, OK | $61,165 | $24,304 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | Montana State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bozeman, MT | $60,221 | $22,065 | -44% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Oklahoma State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Stillwater, OK | $59,979 | $19,323 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | Northern Arizona UniversityBachelor's Degree | Flagstaff, AZ | $58,491 | $24,000 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborBachelor's Degree | Ann Arbor, MI | $57,890 | $18,644 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | University of South FloridaBachelor's Degree | Tampa, FL | $57,628 | $19,503 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionBachelor's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $57,244 | $19,000 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | University of ArizonaBachelor's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $55,784 | $20,750 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | The University of Texas at El PasoBachelor's Degree | El Paso, TX | $53,992 | $18,531 | -59% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Oregon State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Corvallis, OR | $53,349 | $22,959 | -68% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Oregon State University-Cascades CampusBachelor's Degree | Bend, OR | $53,349 | $22,959 | -67% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | Iowa State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ames, IA | $49,875 | $22,500 | -81% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | The University of Texas at San AntonioBachelor's Degree | San Antonio, TX | $46,726 | $21,671 | -92% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | University of Puerto Rico-HumacaoBachelor's Degree | Humacao, PR | $45,816 | $5,500 | -96% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | University of Puerto Rico-MayaguezBachelor's Degree | Mayaguez, PR | $40,501 | $8,375 | -118% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | University of Puerto Rico-AreciboBachelor's Degree | Arecibo, PR | $37,027 | $5,250 | -136% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San GermanBachelor's Degree | San German, PR | $33,355 | Not available | -154% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | Auburn UniversityBachelor's Degree | Auburn, AL | Not available | $22,164 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $24,323 |
| 55 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoBachelor's Degree | San Luis Obispo, CA | Not available | $22,138 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $16,665 |
| 56 | California State University, NorthridgeBachelor's Degree | Northridge, CA | Not available | $7,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $7,021 |
| 57 | University of MiamiBachelor's Degree | Coral Gables, FL | Not available | $18,625 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $37,244 |
| 58 | University of GeorgiaBachelor's Degree | Athens, GA | Not available | $23,214 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $13,936 |
| 59 | University of IdahoBachelor's Degree | Moscow, ID | Not available | $24,250 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $14,831 |
| 60 | Kansas State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Manhattan, KS | Not available | $17,227 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $19,406 |
| 61 | Mississippi State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Mississippi State, MS | Not available | $24,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $17,595 |
| 62 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusBachelor's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | Not available | $19,800 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $30,434 |
| 63 | The University of Texas at ArlingtonBachelor's Degree | Arlington, TX | Not available | $21,395 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $13,951 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.