Biology at Oglethorpe University

Oglethorpe's biology program produces first-year earnings below both national and state medians, though the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means a few individual outcomes heavily influence these numbers. At $27,337, graduates earn about $5,000 less than the national median and roughly match the Georgia median, landing at the 40th percentile among state biology programs. Several Georgia public universities—including Middle Georgia State ($35,281) and Georgia College ($32,550)—deliver significantly stronger early earnings outcomes.

The debt load of $27,000 is relatively modest, ranking in just the 5th percentile nationally, which helps offset the lower earnings. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.99 means graduates owe nearly a full year's salary, making those first few years financially tight but not unmanageable compared to many biology programs. For a selective liberal arts college with good academic credentials (SAT 1230), these returns are disappointing but not unusual—biology bachelor's degrees often serve as stepping stones to graduate or professional programs rather than immediate career launchers.

The practical concern: if your student plans to work immediately after graduation rather than pursue further education, this program's value proposition weakens considerably. The combination of below-average earnings and private school costs makes sense primarily if graduate school is the plan, or if Oglethorpe's smaller class sizes and research opportunities provide advantages that don't show up in year-one salary data.