Physiology, Pathology at Oregon State University

Oregon State's Physiology and Pathology bachelor's program lands graduates in an uncomfortable middle ground—earning slightly less than $30,000 in their first year while carrying $24,000 in debt. At 0.89, the debt-to-earnings ratio isn't catastrophic, but these earnings fall well below the national median for this major and barely match Oregon's already-modest state median. For a field that typically requires graduate education for career advancement, starting at the 25th percentile nationally raises questions about whether this particular program adequately prepares students for next steps.

The Oregon context offers little reassurance. Among the state's five schools offering this major, OSU performs right in the middle—essentially tied with University of Oregon at around $27,500. This suggests the weak outcomes aren't just an OSU problem but may reflect Oregon's limited opportunities in physiology and pathology specifically. Students serious about this field path should recognize they're likely looking at graduate school anyway, which means these undergraduate debt and earnings figures are just the first chapter of a longer financial story.

If your child is set on this major, the debt load is at least manageable enough not to torpedo graduate school plans. But the earnings data suggests either looking at stronger programs out of state (where top quartile graduates earn $36,000+) or reconsidering whether this specific undergraduate major is necessary for their career goals.