Biology at Bowie State University

A $26,266 starting salary after four years of college represents a genuine financial challenge—this program ranks in just the 17th percentile nationally and 25th percentile among Maryland's biology programs. Compare that to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where biology graduates earn $37,244, or even typical Maryland biology programs where the median is $33,897. That's a gap of roughly $7,600 per year compared to the state median alone. The debt load of $29,000 isn't extreme, but when paired with earnings this low, it creates a ratio of 1.10—meaning your child would owe more than their entire first year's salary.

For context, biology graduates at this level typically struggle to cover basic living expenses while managing loan payments. The numbers suggest many graduates may need additional education (requiring more debt) or face years of financial constraint. Bowie State serves a largely Pell-eligible population and offers accessible admissions, but accessibility doesn't offset the earnings reality. If your child is set on biology, examining why this program trails the Maryland median by nearly $8,000 matters enormously—it could signal differences in career services, lab resources, or employer connections.

Unless your child has compelling reasons to attend this specific program (full scholarship, family circumstances requiring them to stay local), the state offers several biology programs with significantly stronger earnings outcomes at similar price points.