ROI Major

Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

NC · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 26.11

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology degree from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill earn a median salary of $89,527 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $91,541. The degree typically pays for itself in 4.4 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$64,854

Typical Career

$89,527

Top Performers

$123,376

Estimated break-even: 4.4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$597

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,461. Most students can comfortably afford about a $597 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.2x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in North Carolina buys what costs $0.98 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 21.3%
Health Care & Social Assistance 18.1%
Educational Services 15.8%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$91,541

Nominal: $89,527 in North Carolina (COL 97.8% of national avg) · 2.2% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

4.4 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $44,060 $62,976 $76,251
5 Years After Graduation $64,854 $89,527 $123,376
10 Years After Graduation $83,557 $124,951 $186,019

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $89,527 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NC, which has a cost-of-living index of 97.8% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $89,527 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9780) = $91,541 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates in Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill experience a significant earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $62,976, which increases to $89,527 five years post-graduation and reaches $124,951 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the median earnings five years after graduation equate to approximately $91,540.90 on a national scale, indicating a strong financial outlook relative to the cost of living in North Carolina.

The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (21.3%), Health Care & Social Assistance (18.1%), and Educational Services (15.8%). With an estimated break-even point of approximately 4.4 years compared to a high school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a degree in this field appears favorable. This suggests that graduates can expect not only to recoup their educational expenses relatively quickly but also to benefit from long-term financial gains in a growing job market.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology degree at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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