Zoology/Animal Biology at North Dakota State University-Main Campus

North Dakota State's zoology program significantly outperforms most schools nationally—landing in the 85th percentile for graduate earnings—though with an important caveat: the sample size is small enough that these results could shift substantially with more data. Still, the trajectory looks promising: graduates start at $33,115 and see their earnings jump 38% to $45,621 by year four, well above the $28,461 national median for this degree.

The debt load of $24,250 is manageable relative to that first-year salary, translating to a 0.73 debt-to-earnings ratio. Within North Dakota, this program sits at the 60th percentile—solid, but not dominant, particularly when compared to UND's lower starting salary. What matters more is that zoology graduates here are earning about $4,000 more than typical biology majors nationally right out of the gate, suggesting the program may provide stronger career connections or skill development than its peers.

For a highly accessible institution (96% admission rate), this represents better-than-expected outcomes in a field that typically struggles with low starting salaries. The real question is whether those higher earnings reflect genuine program quality or simply the randomness of a small graduating class. If your child is passionate about animal biology and looking at North Dakota schools, this program merits serious consideration—just recognize that next year's cohort might show different numbers.