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Biological Engineering at University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Biological/Biosystems Engineering
52 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
53
Optimistic
52
Base Case
50
Pessimistic
Earnings $67,016/yr (15% vs median)
AI Risk High (49% exposed)
Job Market Medium (29,200 openings/yr)
ROI 11.1x earnings multiple (3.7x out-of-state)
Ranked #7 of 8 Biological/Biosystems Engineering programs

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 $695K $675K $603K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 11.4x 11.1x 9.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.8x 3.7x 3.3x
Probability of Field Employment 73% 66% 48%
DegreeOutlook Score 53 52 50

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$61,060
Out-of-state: $184,168 (3.7x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$47,000
23% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$18,716
3.4 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $67,016 at University of California-San Diego come in 15% above the national median of $58,507 for Biological Engineering programs.

The 11.1x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 49% task exposure — and the 13% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $67,016 far exceeding the $18,716 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

With only 8 programs offering Biological Engineering nationally, this is a niche field. University of California-San Diego ranks #7 among them.

About University of California-San Diego

University of California-San Diego accepts 25% of applicants — selective, though not ultra-competitive, serving a student body of 33,787 in La Jolla, CA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of California-San Diego →

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

Compare this program → View all 8 schools offering Biological Engineering →

Biological Engineering at Other Schools

University of Georgia ($62,842) University of Nebraska-Lincoln ($61,755) University of Missouri-Columbia ($60,190) Auburn University ($59,050) Oakland University ($57,337) Utah State University ($52,951) University of Florida ($46,917)

Other Majors at University of California-San Diego

Computer Science ($112,006) Computer Engineering ($96,256) Mathematics and Computer Science ($89,651) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($80,687) Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology ($76,592) Mechanical Engineering ($69,555) Civil Engineering ($65,478) Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering ($65,401)

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of California-San Diego's Biological Engineering program score?
A score of 52/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but University of California-San Diego 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 →