Biology at New Jersey Institute of Technology

NJIT's biology program starts with a jarring first-year median salary of just $25,749—roughly $6,000 below both the state and national averages for biology graduates. Among New Jersey's 26 biology programs, this ranks in only the 25th percentile, trailing schools like Centenary University ($44,312) and William Paterson ($42,492) by significant margins. The debt load of $21,834 is actually below average, but when your first-year earnings are that low, even modest debt creates strain.

The silver lining is dramatic earnings growth: by year four, median pay jumps to $60,408, nearly tripling the initial figure. This suggests many graduates eventually pivot into higher-paying fields or secure positions in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies—industries with strong presence in New Jersey. However, that first year remains troubling. Whether it reflects graduates pursuing unpaid lab work, additional schooling, or simply weak initial job placement, it means significant financial stress right when loan payments begin.

For a parent, the question is whether your child can weather that difficult first year and has the persistence to reach those stronger year-four outcomes. If they're planning medical school or other graduate programs that delay full-time employment, this pattern makes more sense. But for students expecting to work immediately after graduation, NJIT's biology program presents a rougher launch than most New Jersey alternatives.