California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Biochemistry: earnings, debt & careers

Biochemistry graduates of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo earn a median $78,097 four years after graduating ($57,538 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $17,500. That is $13,000 above the U.S. median for Biochemistry graduates ($65,097 across 110 colleges), and ranks 5th of 18 California colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$78,097

U.S. median for this major: $65,097.

College Scorecard field of study

Earnings, 1 year after
$57,538

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$17,500

About 22% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $21,626.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$16,665 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $32,265. College Scorecard.

Biochemistry at California colleges

Every California college we cover that reports Biochemistry graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1University of California-Santa Barbara$90,694$9,500$16,10983%
2University of California-Santa Cruz$88,305$18,959$17,89075%
3University of San Diego$83,380$27,500$30,36584%
4California State University-Long Beach$79,820$11,000$10,44069%
5California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$78,097$17,500$16,66586%
6California State University-East Bay$77,863—$9,32048%
7San Francisco State University$76,134$15,675$12,27850%
8University of California-Los Angeles$73,506$14,920$12,54893%
9University of California-San Diego$72,491$17,500$12,47086%
10University of California-Davis$70,754$11,208$14,74186%
11California State University-Fullerton$68,170$17,200$6,55570%
12California State University-Los Angeles$67,441$16,730$3,96753%
13California State University-Sacramento$66,885$16,500$9,33856%
14California State University-San Marcos$65,479$16,666$10,22955%
15California State University-Chico$60,367$23,000$14,48063%
16University of California-Riverside$59,549$17,250$14,30476%
17University of Southern California$57,246$3,750$32,74092%
18California State University-San Bernardino$56,277—$4,56455%

31 more California colleges offer Biochemistry but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Biochemistry graduates

Natural Sciences Managers

San Luis Obispo area$178,530
California$210,230
U.S.$167,220

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Biological Technicians

California$71,440
U.S.$57,510

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Microbiologists

California$108,530
U.S.$87,990

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +6.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Related majors at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Biochemistry questions

How much do California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Biochemistry graduates earn?

Biochemistry graduates of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo earn a median $78,097 four years after graduating and $57,538 one year after. The U.S. median for Biochemistry graduates across 110 colleges is $65,097.

How much debt do California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Biochemistry graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Biochemistry graduates of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is $17,500, about 22% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $21,626.

Where does California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo rank for Biochemistry in California?

Of 18 California colleges reporting Biochemistry graduate earnings, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo ranks 5th. The highest is University of California-Santa Barbara at $90,694.

What jobs do Biochemistry graduates get?

A common career is natural sciences managers, with a median wage of $178,530 in the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA area and $167,220 nationally. Others include biological technicians and microbiologists.

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
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Cite this: “California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Biochemistry: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/majors/biochemistry (College Scorecard and BLS data).