U.S. median for this major: $57,996.
College Scorecard field of study; 31 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 44% 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 $58,437. College Scorecard.
VU 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 VU'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 | $11,043 | $45,828 | 1.8 years |
| $30–48k | $12,055 | $50,028 | 2.0 years |
| $48–75k | $15,279 | $63,408 | 2.5 years |
| $75–110k | $22,311 | $92,591 | 3.6 years |
| $110k+ | $24,780 | $102,837 | 4.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (58% 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 ($61,072) minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $25,538 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 Indiana colleges
Every Indiana 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 | University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne | $72,008 | $27,000 | $18,196 | 55% |
| 2 | University of Southern Indianabachelor's & associate | $71,019 | $23,375 | $12,923 | 48% |
| 3 | Saint Mary's College | $68,409 | $27,000 | $25,292 | 69% |
| 4 | University of Indianapolis | $67,270 | $27,000 | $21,602 | 56% |
| 5 | Indiana University-Bloomington | $65,224 | $20,500 | $16,264 | 80% |
| 6 | DePauw University | $63,099 | $25,366 | $22,264 | 75% |
| 7 | Wabash College | $62,653 | $27,000 | $24,336 | 77% |
| 8 | Valparaiso University | $61,072 | $27,000 | $18,578 | 70% |
| 9 | Hanover College | $61,030 | $27,000 | $21,829 | 67% |
| 10 | Purdue University | $58,225 | $20,380 | $14,600 | 83% |
| 11 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | $56,830 | $22,500 | $11,668 | 54% |
| 12 | Indiana State University | $56,764 | $21,948 | $10,873 | 43% |
| 13 | Indiana University-South Bend | $56,512 | $27,500 | $8,653 | 40% |
| 14 | Indiana University-Southeast | $56,463 | $24,890 | $7,888 | 39% |
| 15 | Ball State University | $55,097 | $24,333 | $14,940 | 62% |
| 16 | Marian University | $54,648 | $27,000 | $24,018 | 67% |
| 17 | Trine University | $52,806 | $23,250 | $25,355 | 64% |
| 18 | Purdue University Fort Wayne | $50,366 | $24,696 | $13,171 | 36% |
| 19 | Purdue University Northwest | $48,094 | $24,750 | $6,079 | 43% |
22 more Indiana 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 VU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About VU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 70% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,191
- Full cost breakdown · all 59 majors · overview
Related majors at VU
- Biochemistry—
- Chemistry$62,245
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$47,644
- Health Sciences$115,095
VU Biology questions
How much do VU Biology graduates earn?
Biology graduates of Valparaiso University earn a median $61,072 four years after graduating and $30,672 one year after. The U.S. median for Biology graduates across 837 colleges is $57,996.
How much debt do VU Biology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Biology graduates of Valparaiso University is $27,000, about 44% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is VU a good school for Biology in Indiana?
On pay, Biology graduates of Valparaiso University earn $61,072 four years out, $2,847 above the median for the same major across 19 Indiana colleges ($58,225) and $3,076 above the U.S. median ($57,996). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does VU rank for Biology in Indiana?
Of 19 Indiana colleges reporting Biology graduate earnings, Valparaiso University ranks 8th; among the 18 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 7th. The highest is University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne at $72,008.
What jobs do Biology graduates get?
A common career is biological technician, with a median wage of $57,700 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 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: “Valparaiso University Biology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/valparaiso-university/majors/biology (College Scorecard and BLS data).