U.S. median for this major: $57,996.
College Scorecard field of study; 168 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 40% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $23,867. College Scorecard.
ECU Biology: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses ECU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,046 | $43,700 | 1.4 years |
| $30–48k | $11,699 | $50,891 | 1.7 years |
| $48–75k | $14,904 | $64,832 | 2.1 years |
| $75–110k | $20,417 | $88,814 | 2.9 years |
| $110k+ | $23,028 | $100,172 | 3.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (43% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Biology graduates 4 years after graduating ($64,205) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $30,689 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Biology at North Carolina colleges
Every North Carolina college we cover that reports Biology graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University | $83,192 | $12,500 | $29,612 | 97% |
| 2 | High Point University | $67,184 | — | $38,707 | 74% |
| 3 | East Carolina University | $64,205 | $26,000 | $15,739 | 63% |
| 4 | Wake Forest University | $63,292 | $22,612 | $28,719 | 89% |
| 5 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $62,047 | $15,100 | $11,655 | 91% |
| 6 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $61,384 | $21,500 | $17,303 | 85% |
| 7 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | $60,750 | $22,125 | $20,109 | 71% |
| 8 | William Peace University | $60,289 | $28,500 | $21,649 | 45% |
| 9 | Meredith College | $60,099 | $27,000 | $22,488 | 70% |
| 10 | Wingate University | $58,623 | $27,000 | $20,748 | 46% |
| 11 | North Carolina A & T State University | $57,392 | $28,358 | $10,846 | 57% |
| 12 | Campbell University | $56,463 | $27,000 | $24,516 | 61% |
| 13 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $56,388 | $26,000 | $15,435 | 69% |
| 14 | North Carolina Central University | $54,192 | $30,420 | $15,359 | 42% |
| 15 | University of Mount Olive | $53,986 | $27,000 | $18,853 | 52% |
| 16 | Elizabeth City State University | $53,625 | — | $6,364 | 44% |
| 17 | Elon University | $53,369 | $24,125 | $41,555 | 84% |
| 18 | Appalachian State University | $53,228 | $23,000 | $16,836 | 75% |
| 19 | Catawba College | $52,583 | $25,931 | $17,879 | 47% |
| 20 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | $52,194 | $26,914 | $10,965 | 56% |
| 21 | Methodist University | $50,810 | $27,500 | $24,704 | 44% |
| 22 | Western Carolina University | $50,180 | $26,037 | $13,315 | 60% |
| 23 | Fayetteville State University | $48,881 | $25,000 | $7,892 | 38% |
| 24 | Gardner-Webb University | $48,505 | $27,000 | $17,674 | 55% |
| 25 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke | $48,285 | $27,000 | $10,260 | 44% |
| 26 | Winston-Salem State University | $47,527 | $27,446 | $13,479 | 47% |
| 27 | University of North Carolina Asheville | $47,302 | $23,250 | $12,250 | 54% |
| 28 | Johnson C Smith University | $42,595 | $28,123 | $20,894 | 34% |
| 29 | Livingstone College | $40,017 | $34,594 | $13,479 | 28% |
21 more North Carolina colleges offer Biology but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Biology graduates
Biological technician
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Natural Sciences Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at ECU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ECU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 63% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $55,146
- Full cost breakdown · all 68 majors · overview
Related majors at ECU
- Biochemistry—
- Chemistry$71,445
- Physiology$61,791
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences$49,029
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$48,703
ECU Biology questions
How much do ECU Biology graduates earn?
Biology graduates of East Carolina University earn a median $64,205 four years after graduating and $38,992 one year after. The U.S. median for Biology graduates across 837 colleges is $57,996.
How much debt do ECU Biology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Biology graduates of East Carolina University is $26,000, about 40% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is ECU a good school for Biology in North Carolina?
On pay, Biology graduates of East Carolina University earn $64,205 four years out, $10,219 above the median for the same major across 29 North Carolina colleges ($53,986) and $6,209 above the U.S. median ($57,996). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does ECU rank for Biology in North Carolina?
Of 29 North Carolina colleges reporting Biology graduate earnings, East Carolina University ranks 3rd. The highest is Duke University at $83,192.
What jobs do Biology graduates get?
A common career is biological technician, with a median wage of $61,720 in North Carolina and $57,510 nationally. Others include secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education and natural sciences managers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “East Carolina University Biology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/east-carolina-university/majors/biology (College Scorecard and BLS data).