U.S. median for this major: $57,996.
College Scorecard field of study; 184 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 46% 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 $24,018. College Scorecard.
ISU 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 ISU'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 | $10,582 | $45,714 | 2.7 years |
| $30–48k | $11,506 | $49,706 | 3.0 years |
| $48–75k | $15,463 | $66,800 | 4.0 years |
| $75–110k | $19,605 | $84,694 | 5.0 years |
| $110k+ | $22,496 | $97,183 | 5.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% 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 ($53,447) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $16,786 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 Iowa colleges
Every Iowa 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 | Wartburg College | $67,036 | $27,000 | $32,908 | 64% |
| 2 | Grand View University | $66,623 | $26,000 | $21,774 | 54% |
| 3 | Upper Iowa University | $64,110 | $27,000 | $20,942 | 34% |
| 4 | Luther College | $63,998 | $27,000 | $23,097 | 71% |
| 5 | Morningside University | $62,400 | $27,000 | $31,320 | 50% |
| 6 | University of Northern Iowa | $62,391 | $21,500 | $15,901 | 68% |
| 7 | Coe College | $62,172 | $27,000 | $18,745 | 66% |
| 8 | University of Iowa | $60,450 | $25,512 | $22,531 | 75% |
| 9 | Central College | $59,597 | $27,000 | $23,377 | 66% |
| 10 | Grinnell College | $56,275 | $17,500 | $17,648 | 88% |
| 11 | William Penn University | $53,683 | $27,000 | $22,601 | 33% |
| 12 | Iowa State University | $53,447 | $24,614 | $18,589 | 75% |
| 13 | Mount Mercy University | $49,685 | $27,000 | $20,168 | 58% |
12 more Iowa 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 ISU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ISU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,386
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at ISU
- Biochemistry$63,026
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology$39,143
- Chemistry$66,486
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$60,059
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology$49,875
ISU Biology questions
How much do ISU Biology graduates earn?
Biology graduates of Iowa State University earn a median $53,447 four years after graduating and $32,528 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 Iowa State University is $24,614, about 46% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is ISU a good school for Biology in Iowa?
On pay, Biology graduates of Iowa State University earn $53,447 four years out, $8,725 below the median for the same major across 13 Iowa colleges ($62,172) and $4,549 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 Iowa?
Of 13 Iowa colleges reporting Biology graduate earnings, Iowa State University ranks 12th. The highest is Wartburg College at $67,036.
What jobs do Biology graduates get?
A common career is biological technician, with a median wage of $48,050 in Iowa 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: “Iowa State University Biology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/iowa-state-university/majors/biology (College Scorecard and BLS data).