Biology at Benedictine University

The striking characteristic of Benedictine's biology program is its dramatic earnings trajectory: graduates start at just $29,215—well below both state and national medians—but nearly double that figure within four years to reach $58,750. This pattern suggests many students may be pursuing graduate or professional school (medical, dental, or PhD programs) immediately after graduation, depressing initial earnings while they continue training. The debt load of $25,278 is manageable and actually slightly below the national median for biology programs, creating a reasonable 0.87 debt-to-earnings ratio even in that challenging first year.

Within Illinois, this program sits at the 40th percentile for earnings, trailing schools like Governors State ($43,641) and Northern Illinois ($38,137) for graduates entering the workforce immediately. However, if your child is planning to continue their education in healthcare or research, that initial comparison matters less than the program's ability to prepare students for professional school. The four-year earnings figure suggests many do successfully complete that additional training.

The value proposition here depends entirely on your child's post-graduation plans. For students heading straight to work in biology-related fields, stronger options exist in Illinois. But for pre-med, pre-dental, or research-bound students, the debt level is low enough that pursuing additional degrees remains financially feasible, and the eventual earnings trajectory validates that path.