Biology at Austin College

Austin College's biology graduates earn just $18,071 one year after completing their degree—landing in the 10th percentile among Texas biology programs and the 5th percentile nationally. To put that in perspective, these earnings are roughly half what biology graduates typically make in Texas ($30,432) and 44% below the national median. Even accounting for Texas's lower-ranked programs, Austin College sits near the bottom. Meanwhile, students are taking on $24,277 in debt, creating a first-year debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.34—meaning graduates owe more than they'll earn in their first year out.

The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) is crucial context. These numbers could reflect a cohort that disproportionately pursued low-paying post-grad positions like research assistantships or unpaid internships before medical or graduate school. Biology often serves as a pre-med track, where first-year earnings don't tell the full story of long-term career outcomes. However, even with that caveat, the gap is stark enough to warrant serious questions about immediate financial viability.

For families paying selective-school tuition at Austin College (47% admission rate, strong SAT scores), this suggests you should have a clear conversation about your child's post-graduation plans. If medical or graduate school is the goal, these numbers may be less alarming. If they're planning to work immediately after graduation, you're looking at challenging early-career economics compared to alternatives like University of Mary Hardin-Baylor or Texas State, where biology graduates earn roughly double.