U.S. median for this major: $57,996.
College Scorecard field of study; 51 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 35% 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 $19,048. College Scorecard.
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith 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 University of Arkansas-Fort Smith'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 | $8,890 | $46,495 | 2.9 years |
| $30–48k | $9,391 | $49,115 | 3.0 years |
| $48–75k | $11,392 | $59,580 | 3.7 years |
| $75–110k | $13,804 | $72,195 | 4.4 years |
| $110k+ | $14,297 | $74,773 | 4.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 5.2 years, the average time graduates took (3% 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 ($48,712) minus $32,399 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $16,313 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 Arkansas colleges
Every Arkansas 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.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ouachita Baptist University | $69,747 | $24,447 | $22,409 | 61% |
| 2 | University of Arkansas | $54,497 | $24,000 | $18,209 | 71% |
| 3 | Arkansas State University | $54,441 | $22,500 | $12,366 | 55% |
| 4 | University of Central Arkansas | $50,742 | $19,770 | $16,511 | 54% |
| 5 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | $50,141 | $21,500 | $12,653 | 40% |
| 6 | Arkansas Tech Universitymostly 2-year | $49,840 | $16,640 | $12,970 | 49% |
| 7 | University of Arkansas-Fort Smithbachelor's & associate | $48,712 | $17,081 | $10,574 | 38% |
| 8 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | $48,606 | $24,329 | $17,248 | 42% |
| 9 | University of the Ozarks | $46,151 | $19,750 | $17,360 | 51% |
| 10 | Southern Arkansas University Main Campus | $44,873 | $20,375 | $14,027 | 49% |
9 more Arkansas 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 University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
- Acceptance rate: 80% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 38% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $41,102
- Full cost breakdown · all 29 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
- Chemistry$66,817
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Biology questions
How much do University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Biology graduates earn?
Biology graduates of University of Arkansas-Fort Smith earn a median $48,712 four years after graduating and $26,541 one year after. The U.S. median for Biology graduates across 837 colleges is $57,996.
How much debt do University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Biology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Biology graduates of University of Arkansas-Fort Smith is $17,081, about 35% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is University of Arkansas-Fort Smith a good school for Biology in Arkansas?
On pay, Biology graduates of University of Arkansas-Fort Smith earn $48,712 four years out, $1,278 below the median for the same major across 10 Arkansas colleges ($49,990) and $9,284 below the U.S. median ($57,996). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Arkansas-Fort Smith rank for Biology in Arkansas?
Of 10 Arkansas colleges reporting Biology graduate earnings, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith ranks 7th. The highest is Ouachita Baptist University at $69,747.
What jobs do Biology graduates get?
A common career is biological technician, with a median wage of $46,930 in Arkansas 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: “University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Biology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-arkansas-fort-smith/majors/biology (College Scorecard and BLS data).