# Lees-McRae College: Zoology / Animal Biology (bachelor's)

Banner Elk, NC. IPEDS 198808, CIP 26.07. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/lees-mcrae-college/majors/zoology-animal-biology

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $24,921
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $38,699 (U.S. median for this major: $44,201 across 52 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $24,120 (U.S. median $24,393)
- Rank in NC: 1 of 2 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: -$5,502

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.1 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $38,699 minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $23,030 | $94,423 | 18.2 years |
| 30-48k | $22,733 | $93,205 | 18.0 years |
| 48-75k | $25,905 | $106,210 | more than 20 years |
| 75-110k | $28,854 | $118,301 | more than 20 years |
| 110k+ | $33,664 | $138,022 | more than 20 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Zoology / Animal Biology at NC colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lees-McRae College | $38,699 | $24,120 | $28,340 | 42% |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $38,440 | $21,500 | $17,303 | 85% |

## Careers
- Natural Sciences Managers (SOC 11-9121): median wage not reported metro, $173,870 NC, $167,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 8.2% by 2035
- Biological Technicians (SOC 19-4021): median wage not reported metro, $61,720 NC, $57,510 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.4% by 2035
- Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists (SOC 19-1023): median wage not reported metro, $64,620 NC, $76,780 U.S.; U.S. jobs 3.6% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).