Biology at Rollins College

With only around 25 graduates tracked, Rollins College's biology program shows concerning first-year earnings of $25,749—well below both the national median ($32,316) and even Florida's state median ($27,034). That $26,794 in debt nearly matches the entire first year's salary, creating immediate financial pressure that's unusual for a selective private college charging premium tuition.

The state comparison reveals the real problem: several Florida community colleges and public universities place their biology graduates into jobs paying $32,000 to $37,000 right out of the gate. Even accounting for the small sample size here, the 6-7 percentage point gap between Rollins' national ranking (15th percentile) and state ranking (40th percentile) suggests Florida biology programs generally underperform—and Rollins sits below that already-low bar. For a school with a 1304 average SAT, these outcomes raise questions about either career services effectiveness or whether graduates are pursuing paths (like unpaid research positions or graduate school preparation) that delay earning potential.

Before committing to Rollins for biology, parents should ask pointed questions about where recent graduates actually work and whether the private school premium delivers career advantages over state alternatives. If medical school or graduate programs are the goal, the debt loads will compound; if employment is the plan, those first-year earnings need context that this data doesn't provide.