Microbiological Sciences and Immunology at Ohio University-Zanesville Campus

A bachelor's in microbiology from a regional campus comes with estimated first-year earnings around $38,000—figures derived from national medians since this program's graduate cohort is too small for the DOE to report outcomes. That's essentially aligned with what Ohio State's main campus produces ($37,592), and the estimated debt load of $22,102 keeps the burden manageable at 0.58 times first-year income. For a science degree, these numbers suggest a reasonable starting point, though they're far from the lucrative outcomes some STEM fields deliver.

The challenge here is making peace with uncertainty. With only 10% of students receiving Pell grants and suppressed data, you're relying on how peer microbiology programs perform nationally—not evidence of what actually happens to graduates from this specific campus. Similar programs across the country show considerable variation, and without reported outcomes, you can't know if Zanesville's smaller scale and regional location help or hinder career prospects compared to larger Ohio institutions.

If your child is set on microbiology and prefers a smaller campus environment, this estimated debt-to-earnings picture isn't alarming. But given the lack of concrete data and modest projected earnings, it's worth seriously considering whether a larger Ohio program with transparent outcomes might offer better career connections and graduate school preparation—especially if research or healthcare pathways matter.