Biology at College of Charleston

College of Charleston's biology program shows one of the more unusual patterns you'll see: graduates start slightly below national averages at $30,538, but four years later they're earning $45,718—a remarkable 50% jump that outpaces typical biology career trajectories. While that first-year salary ranks only in the 39th percentile nationally, it's 60th percentile among South Carolina biology programs, suggesting the program performs better than the raw numbers initially suggest. The $25,000 debt load is manageable at 0.82 times first-year earnings, though it matches the national median.

What makes this program compelling is the four-year earnings trajectory. That $45,718 salary substantially exceeds both national and state benchmarks, indicating graduates either gain valuable specialized skills or access Charleston's growing biotech and research sectors effectively. The program doesn't place at the top of South Carolina programs initially—schools like Southern Wesleyan and The Citadel show stronger immediate outcomes—but the growth pattern suggests CofC biology majors catch up quickly. This could reflect the college's location in a coastal city with marine biology and medical research opportunities, or simply that graduates need a year or two to land positions matching their training.

For families willing to accept a modest first-year salary in exchange for strong growth potential, this program delivers solid value. The debt is reasonable, the robust sample size means these numbers are reliable, and the earnings trajectory suggests graduates find their footing relatively quickly in South Carolina's job market.