U.S. median for this major: $57,996.
College Scorecard field of study; 18 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 43% 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 $70,700. College Scorecard.
IWU 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 IWU'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 | $17,732 | $72,169 | 2.7 years |
| $30–48k | $19,057 | $77,562 | 2.9 years |
| $48–75k | $23,152 | $94,229 | 3.5 years |
| $75–110k | $27,396 | $111,502 | 4.2 years |
| $110k+ | $37,104 | $151,013 | 5.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (78% 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 ($62,541) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $26,744 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 | Northwestern University | $71,181 | $14,800 | $29,167 | 95% |
| 2 | Augustana College | $68,648 | $27,000 | $22,736 | 73% |
| 3 | Benedictine University | $66,960 | $25,278 | $22,313 | 50% |
| 4 | Millikin University | $64,834 | $20,631 | $21,989 | 55% |
| 5 | Illinois State University | $63,725 | $24,672 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 6 | Roosevelt University | $63,274 | $26,000 | $20,194 | 35% |
| 7 | Loyola University Chicago | $62,821 | $25,000 | $36,079 | 73% |
| 8 | Illinois Wesleyan University | $62,541 | $27,000 | $28,199 | 75% |
| 9 | DePaul University | $61,216 | $27,000 | $30,902 | 68% |
| 10 | Elmhurst University | $60,161 | $24,287 | $24,185 | 70% |
| 11 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $60,059 | $22,396 | $14,889 | 57% |
| 12 | Saint Xavier University | $59,820 | $26,939 | $10,970 | 57% |
| 13 | University of Illinois Springfield | $59,817 | $22,116 | $9,833 | 53% |
| 14 | University of Chicago | $59,794 | $13,500 | $14,860 | 96% |
| 15 | McKendree University | $59,238 | $26,833 | $24,717 | 53% |
| 16 | University of Illinois Chicago | $59,119 | $18,000 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 17 | Lewis University | $59,075 | $26,499 | $17,028 | 67% |
| 18 | Olivet Nazarene University | $58,864 | $26,000 | $20,729 | 61% |
| 19 | University of St Francis | $58,363 | $27,000 | $13,006 | 67% |
| 20 | North Park University | $55,253 | $27,000 | $16,948 | 58% |
| 21 | Blackburn College | $54,587 | $24,015 | $18,460 | 57% |
| 22 | Eastern Illinois University | $53,725 | $24,000 | $12,786 | 47% |
| 23 | Northeastern Illinois University | $53,567 | $14,031 | $14,109 | 22% |
| 24 | Knox College | $53,231 | $27,000 | $24,595 | 68% |
| 25 | Aurora University | $52,159 | $24,163 | $18,838 | 60% |
| 26 | Northern Illinois University | $52,086 | $23,630 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 27 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $51,947 | $27,000 | $13,297 | 62% |
| 28 | Illinois College | $51,626 | $26,533 | $18,298 | 64% |
| 29 | Western Illinois University | $50,855 | $27,585 | $12,937 | 45% |
| 30 | Lake Forest College | $48,287 | $27,000 | $28,673 | 78% |
| 31 | Chicago State University | $46,898 | $39,223 | $12,335 | 15% |
| 32 | Dominican University | $46,040 | $25,117 | $11,745 | 55% |
15 more Illinois 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 IWU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About IWU
- Acceptance rate: 39% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $70,871
- Full cost breakdown · all 43 majors · overview
Related majors at IWU
- Biochemistry—
- Chemistry—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
IWU Biology questions
How much do IWU Biology graduates earn?
Biology graduates of Illinois Wesleyan University earn a median $62,541 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for Biology graduates across 837 colleges is $57,996.
How much debt do IWU Biology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Biology graduates of Illinois Wesleyan University is $27,000, about 43% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is IWU a good school for Biology in Illinois?
On pay, Biology graduates of Illinois Wesleyan University earn $62,541 four years out, $3,444 above the median for the same major across 32 Illinois colleges ($59,097) and $4,545 above the U.S. median ($57,996). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does IWU rank for Biology in Illinois?
Of 32 Illinois colleges reporting Biology graduate earnings, Illinois Wesleyan University ranks 8th. The highest is Northwestern University at $71,181.
What jobs do Biology graduates get?
A common career is biological technician, with a median wage of $55,790 in Illinois 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: “Illinois Wesleyan University Biology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/illinois-wesleyan-university/majors/biology (College Scorecard and BLS data).