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# Best Microbiology and Immunology Programs in the West (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Regional list from [Microbiology and Immunology Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-microbiology-and-immunology-programs/)

This page ranks the 23 Microbiology and Immunology programs in the West by the median earnings of Microbiology and Immunology graduates four years after completing. [University of California-Berkeley](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) ranks 1st on this list, reporting median earnings of $103,546 for its Microbiology and Immunology graduates four years after completing.

Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $103,546 to $25,194, with a median of $66,355. For 3 of the 23 programs the earnings figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 22 of the 23 programs, or 96% of the list. University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

California State University-Los Angeles posts the lowest average net price, at $3,967.

## The ranked list

23 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $103,546 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
|  | [University of California-Berkeley](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) reports [$103,546 in median earnings](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/outcomes/) for its Microbiology and Immunology graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 11%. |
| 2 | University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA | $90,061 | $16,109 | $9,231 | 33.0% |
|  | Median federal debt of $16,500 among Microbiology and Immunology completers who borrowed coincides with [median earnings of $90,061](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/outcomes/) four years after completing at [University of California-Santa Barbara](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/majors/). |
| 3 | San Diego State University · San Diego, CA | $81,122 | $15,364 | $9,910 | 36.2% |
|  | [San Diego State University](/school/san-diego-state-university/majors/) posts an [average net price of $15,364](/school/san-diego-state-university/cost/) and median earnings of $81,122 for its Microbiology and Immunology graduates four years after completing. |
| 4 | Washington State University · Pullman, WA | $76,384 | $14,971 | $7,074 | 86.6% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 87%](/school/washington-state-university/admissions/), [Washington State University](/school/washington-state-university/majors/) shows median earnings of $76,384 for its Microbiology and Immunology graduates four years after completing. |
| 5 | California State University-Chico · Chico, CA | $74,888 | $14,480 | $9,902 | 92.7% |
|  | [California State University-Chico](/school/california-state-university-chico/majors/) reports [$74,888 in median earnings](/school/california-state-university-chico/outcomes/) four years after completing and an average net price of $9,902 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 6 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $74,343 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
|  | [University of California-Davis](/school/university-of-california-davis/majors/) [ranks 18th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-california-davis/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $74,343 for its Microbiology and Immunology graduates four years after completing. |
| 7 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $73,988 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed left [California State University-Long Beach](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/majors/) with a [median of $14,289](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school's Microbiology and Immunology program reports median earnings of $73,988 four years after completing. |
| 8 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $73,944 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
|  | [University of Washington-Seattle Campus](/school/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/majors/) reports [median earnings of $73,944](/school/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/outcomes/) for its Microbiology and Immunology graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 39%. |
| 9 | University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA | $72,295 | $14,304 | $8,852 | 76.4% |
|  | An [average net price of $14,304](/school/university-of-california-riverside/cost/) coincides with median earnings of $72,295 for Microbiology and Immunology graduates of [University of California-Riverside](/school/university-of-california-riverside/majors/) four years after completing. |
| 10 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Fort Collins, CO | $69,269 | $21,279 | $13,259 | 88.5% |
|  | [Colorado State University-Fort Collins](/school/colorado-state-university-fort-collins/majors/) reports [median earnings of $69,269](/school/colorado-state-university-fort-collins/outcomes/) for its Microbiology and Immunology graduates four years after completing and a median federal debt of $20,500 among Microbiology and Immunology completers who borrowed. |
| 11 | Brigham Young University · Provo, UT | $66,603 | $15,564 | $10,444 | 67.8% |
|  | [Brigham Young University](/school/brigham-young-university/majors/), a private nonprofit university, reports [median earnings of $66,603](/school/brigham-young-university/outcomes/) for its Microbiology and Immunology graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 68%. |
| 12 | University of Nevada-Reno · Reno, NV | $66,355 | $15,927 | $12,674 | 73.7% |
|  | [University of Nevada-Reno](/school/university-of-nevada-reno/majors/) reports [median earnings of $66,355](/school/university-of-nevada-reno/outcomes/) for its Microbiology and Immunology graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $12,674 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 13 | California State University-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $65,366 | $3,967 | $2,877 | 91.3% |
|  | [California State University-Los Angeles](/school/california-state-university-los-angeles/majors/) reports [median earnings of $65,366](/school/california-state-university-los-angeles/outcomes/) for its Microbiology and Immunology graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $3,967. |
| 14 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $65,024 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
|  | [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/) [admits 9% of applicants](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/admissions/) and posts a median federal debt of $14,545 among Microbiology and Immunology completers who borrowed. |
| 15 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $64,428 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
|  | With 51 graduates in the earnings cohort, [University of California-San Diego](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/majors/) [ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 16 | Montana State University · Bozeman, MT | $60,221 | $22,499 | $17,797 | 82.1% |
|  | Montana State University shows median earnings of $60,221 four years after completing Microbiology and Immunology, and an average net price of $17,797 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 17 | Northern Arizona University · Flagstaff, AZ | $58,491 | $14,158 | $9,709 | 89.6% |
|  | [Northern Arizona University](/school/northern-arizona-university/majors/) ranks 17th on this list, with a [median federal debt of $23,250](/school/northern-arizona-university/cost/) among Microbiology and Immunology completers who borrowed. |
| 18 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ | $57,244 | $14,967 | $9,070 | 89.9% |
|  | [Arizona State University Campus Immersion](/school/arizona-state-university-campus-immersion/majors/) reports [median earnings of $57,244](/school/arizona-state-university-campus-immersion/outcomes/) for its Microbiology and Immunology graduates four years after completing, and an admission rate of 90%. |
| 19 | University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ | $55,784 | $16,674 | $13,353 | 86.1% |
|  | [University of Arizona](/school/university-of-arizona/majors/) posts a [median federal debt of $20,005](/school/university-of-arizona/cost/) among Microbiology and Immunology completers who borrowed, alongside an average net price of $16,674. |
| 20 | Oregon State University · Corvallis, OR | $53,349 | $19,604 | $12,107 | 77.3% |
|  | [Oregon State University](/school/oregon-state-university/majors/) [ranks 126th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/oregon-state-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 29 graduates in the earnings cohort for Microbiology and Immunology. |
| 21 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | $36,852 | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% |
|  | [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/majors/) reports [median earnings of $36,852](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/outcomes/) for its Microbiology and Immunology graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $7,529 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 22 | University of Hawaii at Manoa · Honolulu, HI | $28,598 | $15,664 | $10,675 | 86.6% |
|  | [University of Hawaii at Manoa](/school/university-of-hawaii-at-manoa/majors/) [admits 87% of applicants](/school/university-of-hawaii-at-manoa/admissions/) and shows median earnings of $28,598 four years after completing Microbiology and Immunology. |
| 23 | University of Wyoming · Laramie, WY | $25,194 | $13,599 | $7,977 | 96.9% |
|  | An [admission rate of 97%](/school/university-of-wyoming/admissions/) and an average net price of $13,599 accompany [University of Wyoming](/school/university-of-wyoming/majors/)'s 23rd position on this list. |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Microbiology and Immunology graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the West appear. The earnings figures cover federally aided completers of the program who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 3 of the 23 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between University of California-Berkeley and University of California-Santa Barbara is $13,485, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $78,352.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Colleges in the West](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-west/)
-   Biological Sciences Colleges in the West for Social Mobility