Biology at Rogers State University

Rogers State's biology program produces first-year earnings of $27,822—about $3,000 below Oklahoma's median for biology degrees and nearly $5,000 below the national benchmark. While the program sits at the 40th percentile within Oklahoma, that's cold comfort when graduates from Oklahoma Panhandle State are earning 38% more right out of the gate. The debt load of $20,750 is actually modest compared to national standards, but that's relative: you're still borrowing to earn what many retail managers make.

The fundamentals here are shaky for a four-year STEM degree. Biology graduates typically need additional education for many career paths, and starting from a $27,822 base makes that investment harder to justify. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75 isn't catastrophic, but it reflects the core problem—you're taking on typical debt for below-average outcomes. With 38% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here are banking on upward mobility that these numbers don't support.

If your child is set on biology at a regional Oklahoma school, at least three public universities deliver measurably better starting salaries for similar or lower debt. Unless Rogers State offers specific advantages like location or transfer credit acceptance, those alternatives deserve serious consideration before committing to this program.