U.S. median for this major: $57,996.
College Scorecard field of study; 17 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 28% 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 $85,606. College Scorecard.
SMU 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 SMU'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 | $23,544 | $96,530 | 2.1 years |
| $30–48k | $20,038 | $82,156 | 1.8 years |
| $48–75k | $24,152 | $99,023 | 2.2 years |
| $75–110k | $33,477 | $137,256 | 3.1 years |
| $110k+ | $58,213 | $238,673 | 5.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (76% 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 ($78,466) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TX (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $44,950 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 Texas colleges
Every Texas 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 | Southern Methodist University | $78,466 | $22,125 | $40,892 | 84% |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin | $66,264 | $21,893 | $19,857 | 89% |
| 3 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | $64,555 | $19,953 | $15,563 | 52% |
| 4 | Texas Christian University | $63,572 | $22,000 | $36,660 | 86% |
| 5 | Southwestern University | $62,928 | $21,250 | $29,224 | 73% |
| 6 | Texas A&M University-College Station | $61,734 | $17,943 | $21,315 | 84% |
| 7 | Dallas Baptist University | $60,722 | $25,000 | $28,516 | 57% |
| 8 | Saint Edward's University | $60,546 | $26,000 | $25,578 | 63% |
| 9 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | $59,307 | $27,000 | $26,106 | 49% |
| 10 | The University of Texas at Dallas | $58,540 | $18,750 | $18,267 | 76% |
| 11 | Texas Tech University | $57,789 | $24,875 | $19,070 | 69% |
| 12 | University of Houston | $57,716 | $17,750 | $14,276 | 65% |
| 13 | Baylor University | $57,155 | $23,850 | $41,104 | 80% |
| 14 | University of Houston-Downtown | $56,787 | $23,000 | $10,542 | 33% |
| 15 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | $56,721 | $22,475 | $10,836 | 53% |
| 16 | University of North Texas | $56,561 | $24,000 | $15,649 | 61% |
| 17 | Texas A&M University-Texarkana | $56,504 | $21,509 | $12,997 | 30% |
| 18 | Texas State University | $55,605 | $24,000 | $16,805 | 55% |
| 19 | The University of Texas at Tyler | $55,434 | $18,000 | $13,323 | 54% |
| 20 | Texas Southern University | $55,321 | $34,302 | $16,590 | 22% |
| 21 | East Texas A&M University | $55,100 | $19,306 | $11,841 | 43% |
| 22 | Stephen F Austin State University | $54,199 | $21,500 | $14,260 | 53% |
| 23 | The University of Texas at Arlington | $53,498 | $17,500 | $13,951 | 54% |
| 24 | University of Dallas | $53,322 | $24,250 | $22,610 | 73% |
| 25 | Sam Houston State University | $53,165 | $23,853 | $16,404 | 55% |
| 26 | Texas A & M International University | $53,125 | $17,411 | $3,637 | 46% |
| 27 | Texas Woman's University | $52,960 | $22,274 | $11,963 | 49% |
| 28 | Midwestern State University | $52,286 | $28,000 | $11,656 | 43% |
| 29 | Hardin-Simmons University | $52,005 | $26,500 | $19,555 | 46% |
| 30 | Prairie View A & M University | $51,499 | $31,000 | $13,570 | 43% |
| 31 | Lamar University | $50,674 | $22,875 | $9,366 | 37% |
| 32 | Schreiner University | $50,514 | — | $21,507 | 43% |
| 33 | University of the Incarnate Word | $50,389 | $27,000 | $22,775 | 51% |
| 34 | Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | $50,181 | $25,000 | $15,225 | 40% |
| 35 | Austin College | $49,875 | $24,277 | $21,107 | 67% |
| 36 | The University of Texas at El Paso | $49,396 | $18,479 | $9,403 | 50% |
| 37 | Angelo State University | $48,938 | $22,750 | $15,091 | 44% |
| 38 | Our Lady of the Lake University | $48,915 | $28,250 | $16,442 | 46% |
| 39 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | $47,954 | $13,950 | $4,831 | 51% |
| 40 | Tarleton State University | $47,795 | $27,641 | $20,783 | 48% |
| 41 | St. Mary's University | $46,873 | $27,000 | $21,145 | 59% |
| 42 | Texas A&M University-San Antonio | $45,920 | $24,875 | $11,196 | 40% |
| 43 | University of St Thomas | $43,542 | $20,959 | $19,359 | 69% |
| 44 | West Texas A & M University | $43,403 | $23,125 | $19,487 | 55% |
| 45 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | $42,405 | $25,281 | $12,090 | 42% |
| 46 | Texas College | $37,296 | $31,000 | $10,958 | 14% |
23 more Texas 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 SMU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SMU
- Acceptance rate: 63% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 84% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $78,354
- Full cost breakdown · all 69 majors · overview
Related majors at SMU
- Biochemistry—
- Chemistry—
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$62,838
SMU Biology questions
How much do SMU Biology graduates earn?
Biology graduates of Southern Methodist University earn a median $78,466 four years after graduating and $39,087 one year after. The U.S. median for Biology graduates across 837 colleges is $57,996.
How much debt do SMU Biology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Biology graduates of Southern Methodist University is $22,125, about 28% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is SMU a good school for Biology in Texas?
On pay, Biology graduates of Southern Methodist University earn $78,466 four years out, $25,056 above the median for the same major across 46 Texas colleges ($53,410) and $20,470 above the U.S. median ($57,996). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SMU rank for Biology in Texas?
Of 46 Texas colleges reporting Biology graduate earnings, Southern Methodist University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Biology graduates get?
A common career is biological technician, with a median wage of $45,750 in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 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: “Southern Methodist University Biology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-methodist-university/majors/biology (College Scorecard and BLS data).