Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences at Belhaven University

A debt load around $17,500 for a biology degree is manageable on paper—the estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 means a graduate would owe roughly half their first-year salary. Drawing from comparable programs nationally, biology graduates typically earn about $35,400 in their first year, which creates a realistic path to repaying moderate debt. However, for this specific degree at Belhaven, neither the earnings nor debt figures come from actual graduate outcomes—they're estimates based on peer programs elsewhere. That introduces real uncertainty about what this particular program delivers.

The challenge with cellular biology degrees isn't the debt burden but the career trajectory. These programs often serve as pre-med or pre-graduate school stepping stones rather than direct entry to well-paying jobs. If your child plans to stop at the bachelor's level, first-year earnings in the mid-$30,000s may stretch thin in laboratory or research assistant roles. If they're aiming for medical school or a PhD, the undergraduate debt becomes just the first layer of what could be a much larger financial commitment. With 45% of Belhaven students receiving Pell grants, many families here are already working with limited resources.

Without program-specific outcomes data, you're essentially betting that Belhaven's results mirror the national pattern. That's not unreasonable, but it means you can't verify whether their graduates actually land lab positions or gain admission to competitive graduate programs. Ask the department directly about placement rates and what their recent graduates are doing now.