Biology at McNeese State University

McNeese's biology program places graduates slightly above the Louisiana median but well below national standards, with first-year earnings of $28,276 ranking in just the 25th percentile nationally. The 60th percentile state ranking tells a more nuanced story—this program performs reasonably well among Louisiana's biology offerings, though neighboring schools like Southern University ($36,095) and UNO ($33,784) deliver substantially better outcomes. The debt load of $20,869 is actually lower than both state and national medians, giving graduates a manageable 0.74 debt-to-earnings ratio.

The real concern here isn't crushing debt—it's that biology graduates from this program start around $4,000 below the national baseline for their major. For students planning graduate school (medical, dental, or research programs), these entry-level earnings may matter less. But for those entering the workforce directly, that gap compounds over time. The small sample size adds uncertainty to these figures, meaning actual outcomes could vary more than typical.

If your child is Louisiana-bound and considering biology, this program won't saddle them with excessive debt, but it's worth comparing seriously to UNO or Southeastern Louisiana, both of which show stronger earning trajectories. McNeese makes sense primarily for students who need to stay in the Lake Charles area or who have substantial scholarship offers that meaningfully reduce the cost below alternatives.