Biology at Grinnell College

Grinnell's biology program shows modest first-year earnings of $37,170, but that number needs serious context: it's well above the national median for biology majors ($32,316), yet surprisingly trails several less selective Iowa schools. Upper Iowa and Grand View graduates earn roughly $6,000 more right out of the gate—an unexpected outcome for a school with a 13% admission rate.

The debt picture, however, offers real relief. At $17,500, Grinnell biology graduates carry significantly less debt than typical Iowa biology majors ($27,000) and far less than the national median ($25,000). This creates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47, meaning graduates need less than half their first year's salary to cover their loans. The 31% earnings growth to $48,846 by year four also suggests decent career trajectory, though it's worth noting that by then, graduates from those other Iowa schools have likely pulled further ahead in absolute earnings.

The catch: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so it may not represent the full range of outcomes. For families weighing Grinnell's prestige against in-state alternatives, the lower debt load is genuine, but if maximizing early-career earnings is the priority, the numbers suggest looking closely at Drake or Coe. The real value here may be what Grinnell biology enables beyond a first job—graduate school placement, research opportunities—which these earnings figures don't capture.