U.S. median for this major: $57,996.
College Scorecard field of study; 22 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 20% 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 $88,488. College Scorecard.
Washington University in St Louis 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 Washington University in St Louis'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 | $1,716 | $7,018 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $1,928 | $7,886 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $5,578 | $22,814 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $12,603 | $51,546 | 1.6 years |
| $110k+ | $42,170 | $172,475 | 5.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (87% 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 ($68,359) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $32,921 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 Missouri colleges
Every Missouri 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 | Rockhurst University | $70,354 | $27,000 | $25,884 | 75% |
| 2 | Washington University in St Louis | $68,359 | $13,500 | $21,786 | 94% |
| 3 | Saint Louis University | $65,517 | $25,000 | $24,398 | 80% |
| 4 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | $61,722 | $26,000 | $22,066 | 66% |
| 5 | Truman State University | $61,647 | $20,305 | $12,780 | 69% |
| 6 | University of Missouri-Columbia | $60,424 | $23,188 | $20,268 | 75% |
| 7 | University of Missouri-Kansas City | $59,183 | $21,500 | $13,310 | 55% |
| 8 | Missouri University of Science and Technology | $58,290 | $25,250 | $16,298 | 64% |
| 9 | Northwest Missouri State University | $57,564 | $26,000 | $16,244 | 54% |
| 10 | Missouri Baptist University | $57,292 | — | $27,006 | 48% |
| 11 | Webster University | $56,671 | $20,679 | $27,047 | 64% |
| 12 | William Woods University | $56,378 | — | $26,569 | 47% |
| 13 | University of Missouri-St Louis | $55,358 | $27,000 | $15,071 | 57% |
| 14 | Missouri Western State University | $53,505 | $24,935 | $13,251 | 39% |
| 15 | Missouri State University-Springfield | $51,897 | $25,552 | $17,613 | 58% |
| 16 | Lindenwood University | $50,669 | $27,000 | $19,638 | 49% |
| 17 | Drury University | $49,387 | $26,688 | $20,831 | 62% |
| 18 | Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studiesbachelor's & associate | $49,387 | $26,688 | $10,566 | 43% |
| 19 | Columbia College | $48,950 | $21,325 | $22,715 | 42% |
| 20 | Harris-Stowe State University | $48,694 | $31,600 | $9,922 | 28% |
| 21 | University of Central Missouri | $48,112 | $24,250 | $14,462 | 54% |
| 22 | Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | $46,344 | $23,250 | $22,766 | 51% |
| 23 | Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies | $46,344 | $23,250 | $14,601 | 0% |
| 24 | Southeast Missouri State University | $45,207 | $21,519 | $15,882 | 58% |
| 25 | Missouri Southern State University | $40,412 | $17,750 | $12,007 | 42% |
14 more Missouri 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 Washington University in St Louis, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Washington University in St Louis
- Acceptance rate: 12% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 94% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $86,182
- Full cost breakdown · all 88 majors · overview
Related majors at Washington University in St Louis
- Biochemistry—
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology—
- Chemistry—
- Health Sciences—
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology—
Washington University in St Louis Biology questions
How much do Washington University in St Louis Biology graduates earn?
Biology graduates of Washington University in St Louis earn a median $68,359 four years after graduating and $24,925 one year after. The U.S. median for Biology graduates across 837 colleges is $57,996.
How much debt do Washington University in St Louis Biology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Biology graduates of Washington University in St Louis is $13,500, about 20% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is Washington University in St Louis a good school for Biology in Missouri?
On pay, Biology graduates of Washington University in St Louis earn $68,359 four years out, $13,001 above the median for the same major across 25 Missouri colleges ($55,358) and $10,363 above the U.S. median ($57,996). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Washington University in St Louis rank for Biology in Missouri?
Of 25 Missouri colleges reporting Biology graduate earnings, Washington University in St Louis ranks 2nd. The highest is Rockhurst University at $70,354.
What jobs do Biology graduates get?
A common career is biological technician, with a median wage of $55,600 in the St. Louis, MO-IL 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: “Washington University in St Louis Biology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/washington-university-in-st-louis/majors/biology (College Scorecard and BLS data).