Biology, General
Offered at 2,359 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 34 | — | — | — |
| Associate | 341 | $34,880 | $50,038 | $11,510 |
| Bachelor's | 1,350 | $37,360 | $64,793 | $22,982 |
| Post-bacc certificate | 1 | — | — | — |
| Master's | 421 | $47,196 | $72,728 | — |
| Doctoral | 178 | $78,257 | $113,020 | — |
| Professional | 1 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 33 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical associate program in this field reports median earnings of $34,880, versus $37,360 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | WI | — | $72,756 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Long Beach City College | CA | — | $75,636 | — |
| 2 | Union Adventist University | NE | $74,559 | — | $30,875 |
| 3 | Mission College | CA | $46,878 | $68,503 | $12,000 |
| 4 | UCNJ Union College of Union County New Jersey | NJ | — | $66,116 | — |
| 5 | Clovis Community College | CA | — | $66,003 | — |
| 6 | Black Hills State University | SD | — | $61,686 | — |
| 7 | San Diego City College | CA | $33,353 | $60,972 | $10,806 |
| 8 | San Diego Miramar College | CA | $28,755 | $60,481 | — |
| 9 | Hudson Valley Community College | NY | — | $59,173 | — |
| 10 | Essex County College | NJ | — | $59,146 | — |
| 11 | Blinn College District | TX | — | $58,815 | — |
| 12 | Fresno City College | CA | $30,217 | $58,725 | $10,587 |
| 13 | Santa Ana College | CA | — | $58,423 | — |
| 14 | Northampton County Area Community College | PA | — | $57,979 | $12,500 |
| 15 | San Diego Mesa College | CA | $41,015 | $56,838 | $9,000 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of Saint Mary | NE | — | $123,133 | — |
| 2 | University of the Pacific | CA | $31,214 | $115,305 | $19,500 |
| 3 | University of Detroit Mercy | MI | $28,438 | $101,568 | $19,000 |
| 4 | Santa Clara University | CA | $46,955 | $100,198 | $19,500 |
| 5 | High Point University | NC | $36,356 | $99,791 | $26,527 |
| 6 | Union College | NY | $42,512 | $99,107 | $24,500 |
| 7 | Boston College | MA | $47,992 | $98,873 | $19,000 |
| 8 | Northeastern University Oakland | CA | $43,476 | $96,949 | $19,500 |
| 9 | Northeastern University | MA | $43,476 | $96,949 | $19,500 |
| 10 | Northeastern University Professional Programs | MA | $43,476 | $96,949 | $19,500 |
| 11 | Marquette University | WI | $40,479 | $96,332 | $25,012 |
| 12 | Seton Hall University | NJ | $37,643 | $95,409 | $22,875 |
| 13 | College of the Holy Cross | MA | $46,673 | $94,609 | $19,500 |
| 14 | Le Moyne College | NY | $37,268 | $93,579 | $27,000 |
| 15 | St. Francis College | NY | $38,491 | $92,995 | $13,500 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning post-bacc certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Temple University | PA | $24,016 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $166,818 | — | — |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | WI | — | $142,377 | — |
| 3 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | MA | — | $122,808 | — |
| 4 | University of Oregon | OR | — | $110,661 | — |
| 5 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | IN | $49,071 | $98,316 | — |
| 6 | Quinnipiac University | CT | $55,096 | $98,249 | — |
| 7 | New York University | NY | $69,245 | $97,994 | — |
| 8 | California State University-Fullerton | CA | — | $90,251 | — |
| 9 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | $50,097 | $89,688 | — |
| 10 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | AZ | $50,097 | $89,688 | — |
| 11 | University of Northern Colorado | CO | $45,943 | $89,327 | — |
| 12 | New York Medical College | NY | — | $88,671 | — |
| 13 | Chatham University | PA | $41,162 | $87,274 | — |
| 14 | University of California-San Diego | CA | $54,603 | $83,496 | — |
| 15 | Drexel University | PA | $48,528 | $83,404 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | $102,599 | $179,125 | — |
| 2 | University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School | MA | $110,793 | $171,741 | — |
| 3 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $168,556 | $154,588 | — |
| 4 | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | NY | $130,805 | — | — |
| 5 | University of California-San Diego | CA | $83,461 | $130,265 | — |
| 6 | Harvard University | MA | — | $129,663 | — |
| 7 | Emory University | GA | $79,788 | $113,020 | — |
| 8 | University of North Texas Health Science Center | TX | — | $102,358 | — |
| 9 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | — | $99,048 | — |
| 10 | University of California-San Francisco | CA | $98,905 | — | — |
| 11 | University of Notre Dame | IN | $70,146 | $97,713 | — |
| 12 | Auburn University | AL | — | $92,639 | — |
| 13 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | $100,241 | $83,675 | — |
| 14 | Northwestern University | IL | $82,806 | — | — |
| 15 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | $78,257 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning graduate certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia Commonwealth University | VA | $21,932 | $73,216 | — |
| 2 | George Mason University | VA | $42,336 | $72,850 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do biology, general graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in biology, general reports median earnings of $37,360. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
