Biology at Concordia University-Wisconsin

The headline numbers for Concordia-Wisconsin's biology program look troubling at first glance—$23,080 after one year ranks in just the 10th percentile among Wisconsin biology programs—but the small sample size here (under 30 graduates) makes these figures unreliable. That first-year number likely reflects the reality that many biology graduates pursue additional schooling before entering their career fields, which would explain the dramatic 168% earnings jump by year four. Still, even that $61,860 four-year mark tells us something: it's well behind the state's stronger biology programs like Edgewood ($51,134 first-year earnings) and substantially trails even mid-tier Wisconsin options.

The $26,000 in median debt sits right at the national and state averages, so borrowing levels aren't the issue. The problem is that when you're in the bottom 10% for Wisconsin biology earnings, you're competing against 29 other in-state programs—including several public universities—that show better immediate career outcomes. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.13 looks manageable on paper, but only if that low first-year figure doesn't accurately represent your student's situation.

For parents, the small sample size means you should treat these numbers as a yellow flag rather than a definitive verdict. If your child plans to work immediately after graduation rather than pursue medical school or graduate studies, ask Concordia directly about recent graduate outcomes and job placement. The data suggests this program underperforms Wisconsin alternatives, but with so few graduates tracked, it's hard to draw firm conclusions.