Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences at Missouri State University-Springfield

Missouri State's cellular biology program launches graduates into challenging first-year earnings of just $30,643—about $5,000 below the national median for this field. While that places this program in the 20th percentile nationally, Missouri only has one other school offering this degree, and Missouri State's graduates actually match the state median, suggesting these low starting salaries may reflect regional market conditions rather than program quality alone.

The encouraging news is strong earnings growth: graduates see their income jump 55% by year four, reaching $47,395. Combined with manageable debt of $24,251, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79 means first-year financial strain is real but not crushing. For context, graduates owe roughly 10 months of their initial salary—reasonable if they can weather that difficult first year.

The real question is whether your child plans to stay in Missouri or pursue opportunities elsewhere. If they're geographically flexible and can target higher-paying markets, this program provides solid biological sciences training at an accessible institution (91% admission rate). However, if they need immediate post-graduation earning power—for instance, to support themselves without family help—that $30,643 starting salary in Springfield will be tight. This works best for students with financial cushion during those critical first two years after graduation.