Biology at Dominican University New York

Dominican University New York's biology graduates earn $36,993 in their first year—outperforming the national median by 14% and the New York state median by 13%. That's a solid start for a program at a school with a 79% admission rate, though the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means a few high or low earners could significantly skew these numbers. Among New York biology programs, this lands at the 60th percentile—respectable, though nowhere near the elite schools like Barnard ($47,329) or Hamilton ($43,639).

The debt picture looks reasonable at first glance: $21,697 is below both the national and state median of $25,000. But dig deeper and the 0.59 debt-to-earnings ratio reveals a tighter margin than you'd want. Your child would owe roughly 59 cents for every dollar earned in their first year. That's manageable but not comfortable, especially for biology graduates who often need graduate school for higher-paying careers.

For parents weighing this option, the limited sample size is the biggest red flag—next year's cohort could show very different outcomes. If your child is considering medicine or research and needs graduate school anyway, that first-year salary matters less than the debt load, which is at least contained here. But if they're planning to work immediately after graduation, this program offers middle-of-the-pack value in New York, without the premium outcomes that might justify stretching financially.