Microbiological Sciences and Immunology at University of California-Los Angeles

UCLA's prestigious name doesn't translate to strong early outcomes in microbiology and immunology. Starting salaries of $36,403 rank in just the 25th percentile among California programs—significantly trailing San Francisco State ($56,071) and Cal Poly SLO ($55,807), and even falling short of several CSU campuses. Within four years, graduates reach nearly $50,000, but that still lags the state median for this major by over $3,000. The disconnect between UCLA's 9% admission rate and these middling results suggests the program may be optimized more for graduate school preparation than immediate career placement.

The silver lining is manageable debt. At $14,000, graduates owe roughly half the national median for this field, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38 means most can realistically pay off loans within a year or two of working. The 37% earnings growth trajectory also hints at improving prospects for those who stick with lab work or leverage their degree for further education. For students certain they're headed to medical school or PhD programs, UCLA's research opportunities may justify the relatively modest early earnings. But families expecting UCLA's brand to command a salary premium right out of college should recalibrate expectations—at least for this particular major, the California state schools are delivering stronger financial returns.