Grinnell College Biochemistry: earnings, debt & careers

Biochemistry graduates of Grinnell College earn a median $53,105 four years after graduating ($38,598 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $16,549. That is $11,992 below the U.S. median for Biochemistry graduates ($65,097 across 110 colleges), and ranks 5th of 5 Iowa colleges.

Show numbers for my family

Yearly household income. Saved on this device only. No account needed.

Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$53,105

U.S. median for this major: $65,097.

College Scorecard field of study; 17 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$38,598

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$16,549

About 31% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $21,626.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$17,648 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $83,440. College Scorecard.

Grinnell College Biochemistry: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Grinnell College graduates$53,105
Iowa median (5 colleges)$64,510 (−$11,405)
U.S. median (110 colleges)$65,097 (−$11,992)

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.

Biochemistry nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses Grinnell College's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$9,970$41,5752.5 years
$30–48k$7,789$32,4802.0 years
$48–75k$9,669$40,3202.5 years
$75–110k$19,348$80,6814.9 years
$110k+$37,725$157,3139.6 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (74% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Biochemistry graduates 4 years after graduating ($53,105) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $16,444 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.

Biochemistry at Iowa colleges

Every Iowa college we cover that reports Biochemistry graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Drake University$67,547$20,375$29,12774%
2University of Iowa$65,072$21,626$22,53175%
3Cornell College$64,510$27,000$23,63462%
4Iowa State University$63,026$19,477$18,58975%
5Grinnell College$53,105$16,549$17,64888%

12 more Iowa colleges offer Biochemistry but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Biochemistry graduates

Natural Sciences Managers

Iowa$109,760
U.S.$167,220

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Biological Technicians

Iowa$48,050
U.S.$57,510

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Microbiologists

Iowa$79,830
U.S.$87,990

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +6.2% 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 Grinnell College, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About Grinnell College

Related majors at Grinnell College

Grinnell College Biochemistry questions

How much do Grinnell College Biochemistry graduates earn?

Biochemistry graduates of Grinnell College earn a median $53,105 four years after graduating and $38,598 one year after. The U.S. median for Biochemistry graduates across 110 colleges is $65,097.

How much debt do Grinnell College Biochemistry graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Biochemistry graduates of Grinnell College is $16,549, about 31% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $21,626.

Is Grinnell College a good school for Biochemistry in Iowa?

On pay, Biochemistry graduates of Grinnell College earn $53,105 four years out, $11,405 below the median for the same major across 5 Iowa colleges ($64,510) and $11,992 below the U.S. median ($65,097). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Grinnell College rank for Biochemistry in Iowa?

Of 5 Iowa colleges reporting Biochemistry graduate earnings, Grinnell College ranks 5th. The highest is Drake University at $67,547.

What jobs do Biochemistry graduates get?

A common career is natural sciences managers, with a median wage of $109,760 in Iowa and $167,220 nationally. Others include biological technicians and microbiologists.

Is Grinnell College the right fit for your family?

Get a free report comparing Grinnell College with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.

Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting in

We never share your contact information.

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: “Grinnell College Biochemistry: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/grinnell-college/majors/biochemistry (College Scorecard and BLS data).