Idaho State University Biology: earnings, debt & careers

Biology graduates of Idaho State University earn a median $52,171 four years after graduating ($27,866 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $23,000. That is $5,825 below the U.S. median for Biology graduates ($57,996 across 837 colleges), and ranks 3rd of 6 Idaho colleges (2nd of 5 among colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees).

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$52,171

U.S. median for this major: $57,996.

College Scorecard field of study; 47 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$27,866

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$23,000

About 44% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$12,193 /yr

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

Sticker price $21,527. College Scorecard.

ISU Biology: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

ISU graduates$52,171
Idaho median (6 colleges)$51,730 (+$441)
U.S. median (837 colleges)$57,996 (−$5,825)

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.

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

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses ISU'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$10,593$47,1392.9 years
$30–48k$10,011$44,5492.7 years
$48–75k$11,538$51,3443.1 years
$75–110k$14,483$64,4493.9 years
$110k+$16,288$72,4824.4 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (24% 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 ($52,171) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in ID (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $16,374 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 Idaho colleges

Every Idaho college we cover that reports Biology graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1University of Idaho$55,147$21,250$14,83157%
2Brigham Young University-Idahobachelor's & associate$52,426$11,211$8,22155%
3Idaho State University$52,171$23,000$12,19339%
4Lewis-Clark State College$51,290—$15,63540%
5Boise State University$49,570$22,988$21,61060%
6The College of Idaho$47,149$24,000$19,48163%

1 more Idaho college offers Biology but has too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Biology graduates

Biological technician

Idaho$42,130
U.S.$57,510

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

Idaho$61,690
U.S.$72,040

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Natural Sciences Managers

Idaho$124,800
U.S.$167,220

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 ISU, by income

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

College Scorecard

About ISU

Related majors at ISU

  • Biochemistry—
  • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology—
  • Chemistry—
  • Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences—
  • Health Sciences$48,828
  • Microbiological Sciences and Immunology—

ISU Biology questions

How much do ISU Biology graduates earn?

Biology graduates of Idaho State University earn a median $52,171 four years after graduating and $27,866 one year after. The U.S. median for Biology graduates across 837 colleges is $57,996.

How much debt do ISU Biology graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Biology graduates of Idaho State University is $23,000, about 44% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.

Is ISU a good school for Biology in Idaho?

On pay, Biology graduates of Idaho State University earn $52,171 four years out, $441 above the median for the same major across 6 Idaho colleges ($51,730) and $5,825 below the U.S. median ($57,996). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does ISU rank for Biology in Idaho?

Of 6 Idaho colleges reporting Biology graduate earnings, Idaho State University ranks 3rd; among the 5 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Idaho at $55,147.

What jobs do Biology graduates get?

A common career is biological technician, with a median wage of $42,130 in Idaho 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
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Cite this: “Idaho State University Biology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/idaho-state-university/majors/biology (College Scorecard and BLS data).