Biology at Colorado Mesa University

Colorado Mesa's biology graduates face a double challenge: they're carrying more debt than 95% of biology programs nationwide while earning below the Colorado median for their field. Four years out, these graduates make $39,118—about $2,500 less than what typical Colorado biology majors earn at the same career stage. Within the state's landscape, this program sits in the 40th percentile for earnings, trailing schools like CSU Pueblo and Metropolitan State by $8,000 to $10,000 annually.

The debt picture particularly stands out. At $27,774, graduates owe roughly $4,000 more than the Colorado median for biology degrees. This creates a first-year ratio of 0.85—manageable on paper, but harder in practice when that first-year salary barely exceeds $32,000. The 20% earnings growth to year four helps, but graduates still find themselves playing catch-up compared to peers at other Colorado programs who started with both lower debt and higher initial earnings.

For families weighing this investment, consider that biology degrees often serve as stepping stones to graduate programs in healthcare or research. If your child plans to pursue further education immediately, spending less on the undergraduate degree matters more than marginal earnings differences. But if they're expecting to enter the workforce directly, other Colorado public universities appear to offer better starting positions without the added debt burden.