Biology at Delta State University

A $20,823 starting salary for a biology degree is concerning—about $11,000 below the national median and ranking in just the 5th percentile nationally. However, context matters: this sits near the middle of Mississippi's biology programs (40th percentile), where life science graduates generally earn far less than the national average. The state's top program, Alcorn State, only reaches $27,607. The debt load of $22,601 isn't catastrophic, but owing more than a year's salary means financial stress right out of the gate. For a family prioritizing immediate earnings, this creates a tight squeeze.

The bigger red flag is what this salary means for career trajectory. Many biology graduates need additional degrees for better-paying positions, so these numbers might reflect students working lab tech or research assistant jobs while applying to graduate programs. If your child plans to pursue advanced study anyway, the modest debt could be manageable. But if they're hoping a bachelor's degree alone leads to financial independence, biology at any Mississippi school—not just Delta State—presents challenges.

Given the small sample size (under 30 graduates), these figures could shift significantly year to year. For parents, the question isn't whether Delta State is particularly worse than Mississippi alternatives—it's roughly average in-state. The question is whether biology as an undergraduate terminal degree makes financial sense at all, especially in a lower-wage regional market.