Biological and Physical Sciences at Whitworth University
Spokane, WA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
DegreeWorth Score (Base Case)
43
Optimistic
41
Base Case
39
Pessimistic
Earnings
$34,703/yr (-5% vs median)
AI Risk
Moderate (28% exposed)
Job Market
Large (88,200 openings/yr)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Biological and Physical Sciences graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $651K | $426K | $296K |
| Earnings Multiple | 3.2x | 2.1x | 1.5x |
| Viable Career Paths | 3 of 3 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 3 |
| DegreeWorth Score | 43 | 41 | 39 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition
$203,680
Median Debt at Graduation
$25,000
8.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$57,341
65% growth from Year 1
Career Paths
Where Biological and Physical Sciences graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 88,200 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural sciences managers | $161,180 | 8,500 | +3.7% | 50% |
| Postsecondary teachers, all other | $78,490 | 13,500 | +1.8% | 0% |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education | $64,580 | 66,200 | -1.6% | 33% |
Compare & Explore
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeWorth Score for Biological and Physical Sciences at Whitworth University?
This program scores 41/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI disruption risk, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 43 (optimistic) to 39 (pessimistic) depending on AI's impact.
How does AI affect Biological and Physical Sciences career prospects?
We model three scenarios: Optimistic (no disruption), Base Case (gradual AI adoption), and Pessimistic (aggressive AI displacement). In the base case, Biological and Physical Sciences graduates retain 3 of 3 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $295,976 (pessimistic) to $651,028 (optimistic).
How many job openings are there for Biological and Physical Sciences graduates?
The career paths mapped to Biological and Physical Sciences have roughly 88,200 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a large job market.
Is Biological and Physical Sciences at Whitworth University worth it?
In the Base Case, this degree earns 2.1x its in-state tuition over 10 years. Even in the Pessimistic scenario, the multiple is 1.5x. The spread between scenarios tells you how sensitive this degree is to AI disruption.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections.
"Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI.
Last updated 2025.