Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 43 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences pays
Career outlook for Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences graduates
The job market for the occupations Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | 289,600 | +17.3% | $105,620 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Medical scientists, except epidemiologists | 165,300 | +8.7% | $100,590 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Natural sciences managers | 104,300 | +3.7% | $161,180 | Bachelor's degree |
| Biological technicians | 82,700 | +3.5% | $52,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Biological science teachers, postsecondary | 66,000 | +7.3% | $83,460 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Biological scientists, all other | 63,700 | +1.2% | $93,330 | Bachelor's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences vs similar majors
How Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences stacks up against the closest fields in Biological & Biomedical Sciences on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences Biological & Biomedical Sciences · this major | Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | Pharmacology and Toxicology | Biotechnology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 82 A | 86 A | 91 A | 87 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $77,242 | $122,658 | $92,541 | $89,459 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $40,404 | $82,737 | $51,581 | $63,581 |
| ROI vs cost | +303% | +824% | +493% | +437% |
| Typical debt | $21,844 | $33,122 | $22,369 | $29,545 |
| Colleges offering it | 43 | 11 | 5 | 23 |
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | Master's | $127,409 | — | +2,824% | Strong return |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | Master's | $120,275 | — | +2,692% | Strong return |
| 3 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | Master's | $112,558 | — | +1,696% | Strong return |
| 4 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | Associate's | $78,365 | $19,349 | +1,482% | Strong return |
| 5 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | Associate's | $69,963 | $12,789 | +1,305% | Strong return |
| 6 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury, CT | Associate's | $85,476 | $24,234 | +1,224% | Strong return |
| 7 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Associate's | $87,380 | — | +1,011% | Strong return |
| 8 | University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton, CT | Associate's | $85,476 | $24,234 | +1,011% | Strong return |
| 9 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | Associate's | $78,780 | $19,000 | +973% | Strong return |
| 10 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | Master's | $107,509 | — | +972% | Strong return |
| 11 | California State University-San Marcos San Marcos, CA | Associate's | $72,329 | $19,462 | +892% | Strong return |
| 12 | University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford, CT | Associate's | $85,476 | $24,234 | +872% | Strong return |
| 13 | University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford, CT | Associate's | $85,476 | $24,234 | +854% | Strong return |
| 14 | University of California-Davis Davis, CA | Associate's | $72,879 | $12,000 | +724% | Strong return |
| 15 | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA | Associate's | $79,429 | $18,534 | +709% | Strong return |
| 16 | University of California-Riverside Riverside, CA | Associate's | $73,399 | $18,000 | +708% | Strong return |
| 17 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | Associate's | $70,181 | $13,450 | +690% | Strong return |
| 18 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Master's | $85,478 | — | +605% | Strong return |
| 19 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL | Associate's | $70,132 | $21,350 | +589% | Strong return |
| 20 | University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI | Associate's | $80,730 | $25,000 | +587% | Strong return |
| 21 | University of Connecticut Storrs, CT | Associate's | $85,476 | $24,234 | +586% | Strong return |
| 22 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | Associate's | $67,607 | $19,378 | +578% | Strong return |
| 23 | Duke University Durham, NC | Associate's | $86,703 | $12,000 | +556% | Strong return |
| 24 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Associate's | $64,799 | $15,277 | +546% | Strong return |
| 25 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN | Associate's | $70,722 | $22,527 | +516% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.