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Graduating in 1708, and obtaining his A.M. in 1711, he acted the next year (1712-13) as Librarian. In April, 1714, he was chosen "fellow of the House," as tutors at that time were called; and eight years later (7 April, 1722) was elected " fellow of the Corporation." This was the time, under President Leverett, of the controversy over the right of the resident fellows, or tutors, to be also members of the Corporation. It may have been partly this controversy that led Robie to resign his position in the College in February, 1722-3. He had preached occasionally, but a report "that his sermons were only heathenish discourses, no better Christianity than was in Tully," caused him finally to withdraw from the pulpit. He then became a physician and settled in Salem.

Thomas Robie was a man of good scientific attainments; many of his papers on mathematical and physical subjects were published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. He was " a handsome writer; specimens of his scientific abilities, and his manner of composing, may be found scattered in the magazines and newspapers during 20 years of the 18th century." President Leverett wrote of him: "It ought to be remembered that Mr. Robie was no small honor to Harvard College by his mathematical performances, and by his correspondence thereupon with Mr. Durham and other learned persons in those studies abroad." Besides his contributions to periodicals and societies, Robie published little. He edited several numbers of an almanac and a few years before his resignation printed a "Sermon preached in the College at Cambridge, to a society of young students.⁶"