U.S. median for this major: $57,996.
College Scorecard field of study; 242 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 42% 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 $32,198. College Scorecard.
MSU 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 MSU'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 | $7,068 | $29,968 | 1.0 years |
| $30–48k | $10,830 | $45,919 | 1.5 years |
| $48–75k | $16,521 | $70,049 | 2.3 years |
| $75–110k | $22,703 | $96,261 | 3.1 years |
| $110k+ | $28,546 | $121,035 | 4.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (65% 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 ($64,018) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $30,607 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 Michigan colleges
Every Michigan 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 | University of Detroit Mercy | $91,888 | $21,500 | $15,232 | 67% |
| 2 | Michigan State University | $64,018 | $26,849 | $19,680 | 81% |
| 3 | Adrian College | $63,816 | $27,000 | $25,368 | 48% |
| 4 | Madonna University | $63,032 | $30,750 | $17,755 | 60% |
| 5 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $61,127 | $20,000 | $13,138 | 93% |
| 6 | Albion College | $61,092 | $23,250 | $14,301 | 62% |
| 7 | Western Michigan University | $59,249 | $27,000 | $15,273 | 58% |
| 8 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | $59,231 | $26,000 | $32,811 | 48% |
| 9 | Central Michigan University | $57,438 | $27,000 | $17,597 | 59% |
| 10 | Ferris State University | $56,878 | $26,000 | $8,624 | 47% |
| 11 | Oakland University | $55,991 | $25,435 | $9,120 | 58% |
| 12 | Hope College | $54,538 | $27,000 | $27,182 | 80% |
| 13 | Saginaw Valley State University | $54,038 | $24,932 | $10,775 | 48% |
| 14 | University of Michigan-Dearborn | $53,888 | $23,836 | $9,492 | 58% |
| 15 | Kalamazoo College | $52,863 | $26,750 | $19,072 | 76% |
| 16 | Grand Valley State University | $52,176 | $26,748 | $16,317 | 67% |
| 17 | Aquinas College | $51,002 | $24,500 | $16,626 | 65% |
| 18 | Wayne State University | $50,811 | $21,788 | $12,766 | 58% |
| 19 | Eastern Michigan University | $50,722 | $26,000 | $15,407 | 46% |
| 20 | University of Michigan-Flint | $47,839 | $26,125 | $7,007 | 40% |
| 21 | Siena Heights University | $47,155 | $27,000 | $17,124 | 39% |
| 22 | Lake Superior State University | $46,435 | — | $12,822 | 51% |
| 23 | Calvin University | $44,763 | $19,682 | $22,992 | 74% |
| 24 | Northern Michigan University | $43,698 | $25,166 | $14,085 | 52% |
| 25 | The University of Olivet | $42,353 | $27,000 | $21,393 | 35% |
9 more Michigan 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 MSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About MSU
- Acceptance rate: 85% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 81% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $67,253
- Full cost breakdown · all 105 majors · overview
Related majors at MSU
- Biochemistry$63,419
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology$55,159
- Chemistry$65,983
- Physiology$61,309
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$67,290
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology$61,953
MSU Biology questions
How much do MSU Biology graduates earn?
Biology graduates of Michigan State University earn a median $64,018 four years after graduating and $26,435 one year after. The U.S. median for Biology graduates across 837 colleges is $57,996.
How much debt do MSU Biology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Biology graduates of Michigan State University is $26,849, about 42% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is MSU a good school for Biology in Michigan?
On pay, Biology graduates of Michigan State University earn $64,018 four years out, $9,980 above the median for the same major across 25 Michigan colleges ($54,038) and $6,022 above the U.S. median ($57,996). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does MSU rank for Biology in Michigan?
Of 25 Michigan colleges reporting Biology graduate earnings, Michigan State University ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Detroit Mercy at $91,888.
What jobs do Biology graduates get?
A common career is biological technician, with a median wage of $55,430 in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI area 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: “Michigan State University Biology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/michigan-state-university/majors/biology (College Scorecard and BLS data).