Biology at Middlebury College

Middlebury's biology graduates carry unusually low debt—$13,648 versus a $25,000 national median—but their first-year earnings of $34,891 trail behind Vermont's state median of $36,409 and fall well short of what nearby Vermont State University biology grads earn ($39,471). That 40th percentile ranking within Vermont is worth noting: despite Middlebury's highly selective admissions (10% acceptance rate, 1500 average SAT), its biology majors aren't commanding premium starting salaries in-state.

The small sample size here matters significantly—we're looking at fewer than 30 graduates, which means one or two students pursuing graduate school or gap-year experiences could skew these numbers downward. Elite liberal arts colleges like Middlebury often see biology majors continuing directly to medical school or research programs, which would explain earnings that seem modest relative to the college's overall prestige. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39 is genuinely excellent, ranking in the 95th percentile nationally, which provides crucial breathing room regardless of post-graduation plans.

For families paying full freight at a school like Middlebury, these numbers won't tell the whole story—the value lies in graduate school placement and professional networks that aren't captured in first-year earnings. But if your child is attending on significant financial aid, the low debt burden combined with decent (if unspectacular) starting earnings creates a manageable financial foundation, even if the immediate payoff doesn't match Vermont's public institutions.