Biological and Physical Sciences at Indiana University-Kokomo

Indiana University-Kokomo's biological and physical sciences graduates earn $41,561 their first year—about $7,000 above the national median but substantially below what other Indiana programs deliver. With only seven schools offering this program statewide, the comparison is stark: the state median sits at $58,490, putting IU Kokomo near the bottom of Indiana options despite its respectable national standing. Notre Dame leads at over $75,000, but even accounting for selectivity differences, that $17,000 gap suggests Indiana families have notably stronger in-state alternatives.

The debt picture offers some relief. At $25,472, graduates carry manageable loans with a 0.61 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning debt stays below two-thirds of first-year income. This beats many STEM programs nationally where debt often exceeds initial earnings. For a regional campus serving a significant population of Pell-eligible students (35%), these controlled debt levels matter.

The critical caveat: fewer than 30 graduates were tracked, making these numbers potentially volatile year-to-year. If your child is considering this program for convenience or because they're already rooted in the Kokomo area, the debt is reasonable enough. But if location is flexible, other Indiana public universities appear to offer considerably stronger earning trajectories in these sciences. Request outcome data from recent years to see if this pattern holds before committing.