Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology at Monmouth College

A biochemistry degree typically launches graduates into competitive lab positions or graduate programs, but the estimated $38,436 first-year salary based on comparable Illinois programs suggests a slower financial start than many families expect from a rigorous STEM field. That figure sits right at both the state and national median for this degree, which means it's fairly standard—but with estimated debt of $25,489, you're looking at borrowing roughly two-thirds of that first year's income.

The debt picture here is actually slightly better than typical for this major nationally ($23,000 median), though modestly higher than the Illinois state median of $24,000. For context, Loyola and Augustana graduates in similar programs report nearly identical earnings around $38,400, so the estimates track with what peer institutions are actually producing. The 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable if your student plans to work immediately after graduation, but biochemistry majors often continue to graduate school, which can complicate this calculation.

The real question is whether Monmouth's smaller program—too small for the DOE to publish actual outcomes—offers advantages that offset the uncertainty. With 87% of applicants admitted and 31% receiving Pell grants, this is a genuinely accessible biochemistry program. If your student needs research opportunities or strong faculty mentorship that larger programs can't provide, that matters. But without concrete placement data from Monmouth specifically, you're betting on peer-program performance translating to similar results here.