# Montana State University: Biology (bachelor's)

Bozeman, MT. IPEDS 180461, CIP 26.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/montana-state-university/majors/biology

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $29,435
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $50,711 (U.S. median for this major: $57,996 across 837 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $24,750 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in MT: 2 of 4 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the MT median for this major (4 colleges, $44,241): +$6,470
- Versus the U.S. median: -$7,285

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.44 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $50,711 minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MT (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $17,797 | $79,019 | 4.6 years |
| 30-48k | $18,570 | $82,451 | 4.8 years |
| 48-75k | $21,977 | $97,578 | 5.7 years |
| 75-110k | $24,732 | $109,810 | 6.4 years |
| 110k+ | $25,905 | $115,018 | 6.7 years |

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

## Biology at MT colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountain College | $60,305 | $22,663 | $19,751 | 48% |
| Montana State University | $50,711 | $24,750 | $22,499 | 57% |
| The University of Montana | $37,771 | $26,718 | $16,784 | 48% |
| Carroll College | $32,530 | $27,000 | $23,960 | 69% |

## Careers
- Biological technician (SOC 19-4020): median wage $49,470 Bozeman, MT, $49,920 MT, $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 $63,330 Bozeman, MT, $60,990 MT, $72,040 U.S.; U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035
- Natural Sciences Managers (SOC 11-9121): median wage $122,930 Bozeman, MT, $119,430 MT, $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).