Biology at Columbia University in the City of New York

Columbia's biology graduates start at $40,935—substantially above both the national median ($32,316) and New York state median ($32,738) for biology degrees. Among New York's 92 biology programs, this lands in the 80th percentile, though it trails elite liberal arts schools like Barnard and Hamilton. The real story emerges four years out, when median earnings jump 53% to $62,588. At Columbia's $60,000+ annual cost of attendance, many students graduate with six-figure debt, so the $19,892 median here suggests significant family resources or aid—but also likely indicates this sample captures a particular subset of biology graduates rather than the full picture.

The 0.49 debt-to-earnings ratio looks manageable on paper, but context matters. Many Columbia biology graduates pursue medical school, graduate programs, or research positions that temporarily suppress earnings before yielding longer-term payoffs. If your child plans to work directly after graduation, these numbers are solid but not exceptional given Columbia's 4% admission rate and prestige. If graduate school is the plan, the relatively low undergraduate debt provides valuable runway.

For families paying full freight without substantial aid, the investment calculation is tougher than Columbia's overall reputation might suggest. Biology specifically doesn't command the premium that economics or computer science does here. However, if financial aid brings the cost down significantly, you're getting strong outcomes relative to other New York biology programs—just not necessarily transformative ones.