Biology at Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Central Methodist's biology program reports first-year earnings of $35,416—above both the national median ($32,316) and Missouri's median ($33,761) for biology degrees. The relatively modest debt load of $23,250 produces a manageable 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates owe about eight months of their first-year salary. Among Missouri's 41 biology programs, this lands in the 60th percentile for earnings, a solid middle-of-the-pack position for an accessible school with an 88% admission rate.

However, there's an important caveat here: these figures come from fewer than 30 graduates, which means a few unusually high or low earners could significantly skew the results. The program also trails the state's top performers by $5,000-6,000 annually—schools like Missouri Western ($40,936) and UMKC ($40,483) show what's possible elsewhere in Missouri. For students planning on graduate school in biology-related fields, where initial earnings matter less than building credentials, this gap may not be critical.

For families weighing this program, the numbers suggest reasonable value if your student thrives in smaller college settings and values the liberal arts environment. The debt is lower than the typical Missouri biology graduate carries, and first-year earnings exceed what most biology majors nationally achieve. Just remember these figures represent a small cohort, so individual outcomes could vary considerably from these medians.