Biology at Ashland University

Ashland University's biology program outperforms most schools nationally but lands solidly in the middle of Ohio's competitive landscape. With first-year earnings of $37,814, graduates earn 17% more than the national median for biology majors and rank in the 83rd percentile nationally—but they're at the 60th percentile among Ohio programs, where even the state median ($31,017) trails the national average. The debt load of $23,250 is manageable, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61 that suggests graduates can handle their loans while building financial stability.

The 20% earnings growth to $45,472 by year four shows graduates gaining traction in their careers, though it's worth noting this program has a small sample size (under 30 graduates), which means individual outcomes could vary more than these numbers suggest. Still, the pattern is encouraging: relatively affordable debt paired with above-average starting salaries that continue to climb.

For Ohio families, this program offers solid value if you're looking at in-state options, though it won't dramatically outperform competitors like Ohio Dominican or the Miami University campuses. The combination of accessible admissions, moderate debt, and earnings that exceed most biology programs nationally makes this a reasonable choice—just recognize you're paying for steady performance rather than standout results in a state with plenty of biology degree options.