Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology at Grinnell College

Grinnell's highly selective biochemistry program lands graduates squarely in the middle of the pack—40th percentile among Iowa programs and 52nd nationally—despite the college's 13% admission rate and elite student body. Starting earnings of $38,598 trail Iowa State by nearly $5,000, though they beat University of Iowa considerably. For context, this places Grinnell grads just above the national median but below the state median for this major.

The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly with more data, but the 47% earnings jump from year one to year four suggests decent early trajectory. The real advantage is financial: at $16,549, student debt runs well below both state and national medians, creating a manageable 0.43 debt-to-earnings ratio. For biochemistry majors planning graduate school—a common path in this field—graduating with minimal debt matters more than first-year earnings.

If your child is passionate about research and graduate school, Grinnell's lower debt burden could be strategic. But if they're weighing this against Iowa State for biochemistry, recognize they'd likely start $5,000 ahead annually at the public option, potentially with comparable debt for in-state students. The prestige of Grinnell's name matters more in some career paths than others—make sure biochemistry is one of them before paying the premium.