Biology at Holy Family University

Holy Family University's biology program reports impressive numbers—graduates earn $44,567 their first year, landing in the 95th percentile nationally and 80th in Pennsylvania. That puts it within striking distance of elite schools like Lehigh and Lafayette, despite Holy Family's more accessible admission profile. The $28,500 debt load sits right at the national average for biology degrees, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64 that's considerably more manageable than what most biology graduates face.

The catch? This data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, which means these numbers could shift significantly with a larger sample. Biology programs typically show wide variation in outcomes since graduates pursue everything from lab technician roles to medical school prep, and a handful of high earners can skew a small cohort's median substantially. The demographics here—74% admission rate, 40% Pell grant recipients—suggest this isn't a highly selective program attracting only pre-med students destined for premium outcomes.

If these earnings hold up with more data, this represents genuine value: solid pay with moderate debt at a school serving working-class Philadelphia families. But given the small sample and the typically variable nature of biology career paths, parents should dig deeper into where recent graduates actually landed—whether they're genuinely securing well-paying lab positions or if a few outliers are driving these numbers upward.