Biology, General: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 1,010 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$136,534 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
20.9 yrsModeled economic break-even
−52%Modeled 10-year ROI
$57,546Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$57,546Median reported earnings · year 4
$60,774Average reported earnings · year 5
$25,000Median federal debt
41thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
1,010Reporting programs
864With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $55,777
- Federal debt
- $22,505
- Reporting programs
- 3
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $45,194
- Federal debt
- $10,385
- Reporting programs
- 53
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $57,546
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Reporting programs
- 1,010
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $71,655
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 58
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $108,206
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 14
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $74,001
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$51,226National median$57,54675th percentile$64,110
864 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Carlow University$134,6772Providence College$93,7573Seton Hall University$93,2004College of the Holy Cross$92,9145University of Detroit Mercy$91,8886Yeshiva University$90,4567Ohio Dominican University$90,4318Marquette University$88,9219Union College$87,20810Dartmouth College$87,026Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1042 · 2 crosswalk linksBiological TechniciansSOC 19-4021 · 2 crosswalk linksAgricultural TechniciansSOC 19-4012 · 1 crosswalk linksBiological Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1029 · 1 crosswalk linksFood Science TechniciansSOC 19-4013 · 1 crosswalk linksForensic Science TechniciansSOC 19-4092 · 1 crosswalk linksLife Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1099 · 1 crosswalk linksMedical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsSOC 19-1042 · 1 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 1 crosswalk linksSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2031 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlow UniversityBachelor's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | $134,677 | $27,000 | +241% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Providence CollegeBachelor's Degree | Providence, RI | $93,757 | $27,000 | +30% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Seton Hall UniversityBachelor's Degree | South Orange, NJ | $93,200 | $21,500 | +58% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | College of the Holy CrossBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $92,914 | $27,000 | +43% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | University of Detroit MercyBachelor's Degree | Detroit, MI | $91,888 | $21,500 | +95% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | Yeshiva UniversityBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $90,456 | $20,500 | +20% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | Ohio Dominican UniversityBachelor's Degree | Columbus, OH | $90,431 | $27,000 | +75% | Positive payoff |
| 8 | Marquette UniversityBachelor's Degree | Milwaukee, WI | $88,921 | $25,296 | +44% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | Union CollegeBachelor's Degree | Schenectady, NY | $87,208 | $24,500 | +33% | Positive payoff |
| 10 | Dartmouth CollegeBachelor's Degree | Hanover, NH | $87,026 | $17,030 | +41% | Positive payoff |
| 11 | Bucknell UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lewisburg, PA | $85,687 | $26,672 | +19% | Positive payoff |
| 12 | Assumption UniversityBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $83,706 | $27,000 | +30% | Positive payoff |
| 13 | Boston CollegeBachelor's Degree | Chestnut Hill, MA | $83,614 | $19,000 | +11% | Positive payoff |
| 14 | Muhlenberg CollegeBachelor's Degree | Allentown, PA | $83,215 | $24,388 | +29% | Positive payoff |
| 15 | Duke UniversityBachelor's Degree | Durham, NC | $83,192 | $12,500 | +28% | Positive payoff |
| 16 | Auburn UniversityBachelor's Degree | Auburn, AL | $83,053 | $23,750 | +37% | Positive payoff |
| 17 | University of the PacificBachelor's Degree | Stockton, CA | $83,012 | $21,500 | +35% | Positive payoff |
| 18 | Saint Joseph's University - PhiladelphiaBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $82,769 | $26,228 | +26% | Positive payoff |
| 19 | Saint Joseph's University - LancasterBachelor's Degree | Lancaster, PA | $82,769 | $26,228 | +8% | Positive payoff |
| 20 | Lafayette CollegeBachelor's Degree | Easton, PA | $82,109 | $17,000 | +17% | Positive payoff |
| 21 | Marist UniversityBachelor's Degree | Poughkeepsie, NY | $81,936 | $26,000 | +7% | Positive payoff |
| 22 | Stonehill CollegeBachelor's Degree | Easton, MA | $81,361 | $27,000 | +17% | Positive payoff |
| 23 | University of Rhode IslandBachelor's Degree | Kingston, RI | $80,379 | $24,215 | +33% | Positive payoff |
| 24 | Loyola Marymount UniversityBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $80,317 | $24,625 | -5% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | New York Institute of TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Old Westbury, NY | $80,208 | $19,500 | +31% | Positive payoff |
| 26 | Merrimack CollegeBachelor's Degree | North Andover, MA | $79,581 | $27,000 | +4% | Positive payoff |
| 27 | University of California, BerkeleyBachelor's Degree | Berkeley, CA | $79,163 | $14,000 | +46% | Positive payoff |
| 28 | Southern Methodist UniversityBachelor's Degree | Dallas, TX | $78,466 | $22,125 | -3% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Northeastern University OaklandBachelor's Degree | Oakland, CA | $78,327 | $25,000 | +19% | Positive payoff |
| 30 | Northeastern UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $78,327 | $25,000 | +10% | Positive payoff |
| 31 | Northeastern University Professional ProgramsBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $78,327 | $25,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 32 | Misericordia UniversityBachelor's Degree | Dallas, PA | $78,107 | $27,000 | +0% | Positive payoff |
| 33 | Loyola University MarylandBachelor's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $77,861 | $27,000 | +9% | Positive payoff |
| 34 | Clarkson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Potsdam, NY | $77,791 | $27,000 | +9% | Positive payoff |
| 35 | Le Moyne CollegeBachelor's Degree | Syracuse, NY | $77,609 | $27,000 | +21% | Positive payoff |
| 36 | Georgetown UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $77,132 | $17,500 | -6% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | University of New Hampshire-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Durham, NH | $77,076 | $27,000 | +17% | Positive payoff |
| 38 | University of New Hampshire at ManchesterBachelor's Degree | Manchester, NH | $77,076 | $27,000 | +46% | Positive payoff |
| 39 | Tufts UniversityBachelor's Degree | Medford, MA | $76,782 | $16,250 | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | University of Massachusetts-LowellBachelor's Degree | Lowell, MA | $76,149 | $26,747 | +25% | Positive payoff |
| 41 | DeSales UniversityBachelor's Degree | Center Valley, PA | $76,125 | $27,000 | +2% | Positive payoff |
| 42 | Mount St. Mary's UniversityBachelor's Degree | Emmitsburg, MD | $76,062 | $25,000 | +15% | Positive payoff |
| 43 | Adelphi UniversityBachelor's Degree | Garden City, NY | $75,921 | $25,000 | +2% | Positive payoff |
| 44 | Dominican University of CaliforniaBachelor's Degree | San Rafael, CA | $75,913 | $27,000 | -4% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | Westmont CollegeBachelor's Degree | Santa Barbara, CA | $75,889 | $23,250 | +4% | Positive payoff |
| 46 | Touro UniversityBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $75,886 | $20,000 | +3% | Positive payoff |
| 47 | Mount Saint Mary CollegeBachelor's Degree | Newburgh, NY | $75,798 | Not available | +9% | Positive payoff |
| 48 | Barnard CollegeBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $75,696 | $16,635 | +4% | Positive payoff |
| 49 | Lehigh UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bethlehem, PA | $75,611 | $23,128 | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | The College of New JerseyBachelor's Degree | Ewing, NJ | $75,531 | $19,500 | +5% | Positive payoff |
| 51 | Notre Dame de Namur UniversityBachelor's Degree | Belmont, CA | $75,059 | $22,375 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 52 | Worcester Polytechnic InstituteBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $75,018 | $26,999 | -15% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | Felician UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lodi, NJ | $74,746 | $30,500 | -13% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | University of DelawareBachelor's Degree | Newark, DE | $74,535 | $25,261 | +18% | Positive payoff |
| 55 | San Francisco State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Francisco, CA | $74,204 | $15,000 | +27% | Positive payoff |
| 56 | California State University, East BayBachelor's Degree | Hayward, CA | $74,010 | $21,500 | +34% | Positive payoff |
| 57 | Villanova UniversityBachelor's Degree | Villanova, PA | $73,933 | $27,000 | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 58 | La Salle UniversityBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $73,920 | $26,625 | +12% | Positive payoff |
| 59 | Elizabethtown CollegeBachelor's Degree | Elizabethtown, PA | $73,542 | $27,000 | -0% | Negative payoff |
| 60 | Widener UniversityBachelor's Degree | Chester, PA | $73,535 | $26,999 | +1% | Positive payoff |
| 61 | Siena UniversityBachelor's Degree | Loudonville, NY | $73,491 | $27,000 | -10% | Negative payoff |
| 62 | Arcadia UniversityBachelor's Degree | Glenside, PA | $73,377 | $27,000 | -5% | Negative payoff |
| 63 | Fordham UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bronx, NY | $73,136 | $26,640 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 64 | University of Massachusetts-AmherstBachelor's Degree | Amherst, MA | $72,726 | $27,000 | +3% | Positive payoff |
| 65 | Keene State CollegeBachelor's Degree | Keene, NH | $72,593 | $26,000 | +10% | Positive payoff |
| 66 | Sacred Heart UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfield, CT | $72,404 | $23,250 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 67 | Drexel UniversityBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $72,197 | $27,000 | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 68 | Temple UniversityBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $72,134 | $26,000 | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 69 | Neumann UniversityBachelor's Degree | Aston, PA | $72,102 | $28,750 | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 70 | Miami University-HamiltonBachelor's Degree | Hamilton, OH | $72,037 | $25,368 | +20% | Positive payoff |
| 71 | Miami University-MiddletownBachelor's Degree | Middletown, OH | $72,037 | $25,368 | +21% | Positive payoff |
| 72 | Miami University-OxfordBachelor's Degree | Oxford, OH | $72,037 | $25,368 | -8% | Negative payoff |
| 73 | University of Saint Francis-Fort WayneBachelor's Degree | Fort Wayne, IN | $72,008 | $27,000 | +7% | Positive payoff |
| 74 | SUNY OneontaBachelor's Degree | Oneonta, NY | $71,874 | $21,537 | +5% | Positive payoff |
| 75 | California State University, ChicoBachelor's Degree | Chico, CA | $71,726 | $18,750 | +12% | Positive payoff |
| 76 | Roger Williams UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bristol, RI | $71,652 | $27,000 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 77 | University of St ThomasBachelor's Degree | Saint Paul, MN | $71,619 | $25,970 | -10% | Negative payoff |
| 78 | Saint Johns UniversityBachelor's Degree | Collegeville, MN | $71,560 | $27,000 | -6% | Negative payoff |
| 79 | Virginia Military InstituteBachelor's Degree | Lexington, VA | $71,547 | $23,000 | +7% | Positive payoff |
| 80 | Farmingdale State CollegeBachelor's Degree | Farmingdale, NY | $71,533 | $16,748 | +19% | Positive payoff |
| 81 | University of PikevilleBachelor's Degree | Pikeville, KY | $71,225 | $21,128 | +0% | Positive payoff |
| 82 | Northwestern UniversityBachelor's Degree | Evanston, IL | $71,181 | $14,800 | -12% | Negative payoff |
| 83 | University of ConnecticutBachelor's Degree | Storrs, CT | $71,160 | $25,000 | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 84 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusBachelor's Degree | Waterbury, CT | $71,160 | $25,000 | +17% | Positive payoff |
| 85 | University of Connecticut-Avery PointBachelor's Degree | Groton, CT | $71,160 | $25,000 | +11% | Positive payoff |
| 86 | University of Connecticut-StamfordBachelor's Degree | Stamford, CT | $71,160 | $25,000 | +6% | Positive payoff |
| 87 | University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $71,160 | $25,000 | +7% | Positive payoff |
| 88 | William Paterson University of New JerseyBachelor's Degree | Wayne, NJ | $71,026 | $25,860 | +2% | Positive payoff |
| 89 | University of Southern IndianaBachelor's Degree | Evansville, IN | $71,019 | $23,375 | +12% | Positive payoff |
| 90 | Emory UniversityBachelor's Degree | Atlanta, GA | $70,959 | $19,500 | -4% | Negative payoff |
| 91 | Duquesne UniversityBachelor's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | $70,958 | $27,000 | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 92 | Seton Hill UniversityBachelor's Degree | Greensburg, PA | $70,848 | $25,000 | -4% | Negative payoff |
| 93 | University of New HavenBachelor's Degree | West Haven, CT | $70,843 | $27,000 | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 94 | California State University, San MarcosBachelor's Degree | San Marcos, CA | $70,789 | $24,174 | +17% | Positive payoff |
| 95 | Quinnipiac UniversityBachelor's Degree | Hamden, CT | $70,632 | $27,000 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 96 | Northern State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Aberdeen, SD | $70,545 | $25,300 | +5% | Positive payoff |
| 97 | George Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $70,444 | $24,816 | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 98 | Rockhurst UniversityBachelor's Degree | Kansas City, MO | $70,354 | $27,000 | -11% | Negative payoff |
| 99 | University of New EnglandBachelor's Degree | Biddeford, ME | $70,283 | $27,000 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 100 | University of Virginia-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Charlottesville, VA | $70,240 | $19,500 | -5% | Negative payoff |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.