Biology at Gustavus Adolphus College

Gustavus Adolphus biology graduates start well behind the pack—earning about $4,000 less than the typical Minnesota biology grad in year one—but the program shows something unusual: 37% earnings growth by year four. That trajectory pushes graduates to $43,639, closer to but still trailing the state's stronger public programs like Saint Cloud State ($44,166) and Metropolitan State ($42,128).

The $25,640 in debt sits right at state and national medians, creating a manageable but not impressive debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.8. For context, this program ranks in the 40th percentile among Minnesota biology programs—meaning six out of ten comparable programs deliver better early earnings. The moderate sample size suggests these numbers are reasonably stable, though not definitive.

Here's the practical reality: if your child is pursuing pre-med or graduate school, that slow start matters less since those early earnings are temporary. But if they're planning to work immediately after graduation, Minnesota's public universities deliver stronger initial returns with similar debt loads. The upward earnings curve is encouraging, but paying liberal arts tuition for middle-of-the-pack biology outcomes requires careful thought about whether Gustavus's broader educational experience justifies the financial tradeoff.