# Michigan State University: Biology (bachelor's)

East Lansing, MI. IPEDS 171100, CIP 26.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/michigan-state-university/majors/biology

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $26,435
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $64,018 (U.S. median for this major: $57,996 across 837 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $26,849 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in MI: 2 of 25 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the MI median for this major (25 colleges, $54,038): +$9,980
- Versus the U.S. median: +$6,022

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.24 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $64,018 minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $7,068 | $29,968 | 1.0 years |
| 30-48k | $10,830 | $45,919 | 1.5 years |
| 48-75k | $16,521 | $70,049 | 2.3 years |
| 75-110k | $22,703 | $96,261 | 3.1 years |
| 110k+ | $28,546 | $121,035 | 4.0 years |

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

## Biology at MI colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Detroit Mercy | $91,888 | $21,500 | $15,232 | 67% |
| Michigan State University | $64,018 | $26,849 | $19,680 | 81% |
| Adrian College | $63,816 | $27,000 | $25,368 | 48% |
| Madonna University | $63,032 | $30,750 | $17,755 | 60% |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $61,127 | $20,000 | $13,138 | 93% |
| Albion College | $61,092 | $23,250 | $14,301 | 62% |
| Western Michigan University | $59,249 | $27,000 | $15,273 | 58% |
| Concordia University Ann Arbor | $59,231 | $26,000 | $32,811 | 48% |
| Central Michigan University | $57,438 | $27,000 | $17,597 | 59% |
| Ferris State University | $56,878 | $26,000 | $8,624 | 47% |
| Oakland University | $55,991 | $25,435 | $9,120 | 58% |
| Hope College | $54,538 | $27,000 | $27,182 | 80% |
| Saginaw Valley State University | $54,038 | $24,932 | $10,775 | 48% |
| University of Michigan-Dearborn | $53,888 | $23,836 | $9,492 | 58% |
| Kalamazoo College | $52,863 | $26,750 | $19,072 | 76% |
| Grand Valley State University | $52,176 | $26,748 | $16,317 | 67% |
| Aquinas College | $51,002 | $24,500 | $16,626 | 65% |
| Wayne State University | $50,811 | $21,788 | $12,766 | 58% |
| Eastern Michigan University | $50,722 | $26,000 | $15,407 | 46% |
| University of Michigan-Flint | $47,839 | $26,125 | $7,007 | 40% |
| Siena Heights University | $47,155 | $27,000 | $17,124 | 39% |
| Lake Superior State University | $46,435 | not reported | $12,822 | 51% |
| Calvin University | $44,763 | $19,682 | $22,992 | 74% |
| Northern Michigan University | $43,698 | $25,166 | $14,085 | 52% |
| The University of Olivet | $42,353 | $27,000 | $21,393 | 35% |

## Careers
- Biological technician (SOC 19-4020): median wage $55,430 Lansing-East Lansing, MI, $51,070 MI, $57,510 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.4% by 2035
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (SOC 25-2031): median wage $63,900 Lansing-East Lansing, MI, $66,030 MI, $72,040 U.S.; U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035
- Natural Sciences Managers (SOC 11-9121): median wage $109,280 Lansing-East Lansing, MI, $129,070 MI, $167,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 8.2% 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).