Biology at Earlham College

Based on comparable biology programs in Indiana, Earlham graduates appear to start around $36,161—putting them right at the state median but trailing stronger performers like Indiana State ($43,656) and Purdue ($40,145) by substantial margins. The estimated $27,000 in debt is slightly above typical Indiana levels, though not dramatically so. What's harder to assess is Earlham's specific trajectory: the four-year earnings figure of $40,800 suggests modest growth, but without knowing if that represents the same cohort or how it compares to peers over time, it's difficult to gauge whether graduates are catching up or remaining behind.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75 falls within reasonable bounds—you'd expect to repay the borrowed amount in roughly four years under standard plans. However, the gap between Earlham's estimated starting salary and top Indiana programs means graduates may face tighter budgets in those critical early career years. For a small liberal arts college with selective admissions (SAT 1250), the earnings picture isn't alarming, but it doesn't stand out either.

The challenge here is the uncertainty: we're comparing estimated figures for Earlham against actual outcomes from peer institutions. If your child is drawn to Earlham's specific approach to biology or campus culture, these numbers don't rule it out—but you should directly ask the school about their graduates' actual placement rates, graduate school admissions, and career outcomes before committing.