Est. Earnings (1yr)
$47,017
Est. from national median (18 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$24,125
Est. from national median (5 programs)

Analysis

Roosevelt's biotechnology program comes with an estimated $24,125 in debt—about 17% above the national median for biotech bachelor's programs—while peer programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $47,000. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51 means graduates might need to dedicate roughly half their first-year salary to debt repayment, a manageable but meaningful burden that requires careful financial planning.

The challenge here is that we're working entirely with estimates since Roosevelt's actual graduate outcomes aren't publicly available due to small sample sizes. Nationally, biotech bachelor's programs show relatively tight earnings clustering, with most graduates earning between $47,000 and $52,000 in their first year, suggesting this field has fairly predictable entry-level compensation regardless of institution. The real question becomes whether Roosevelt's higher-than-typical estimated debt load reflects actual program costs or simply limited comparison data.

Given Roosevelt's open-access mission (94% admission rate) and significant Pell Grant population (46%), this program likely serves students who might otherwise lack access to STEM education. If the debt estimates prove accurate, graduates would still enter a stable field with clear career paths in pharmaceuticals, research labs, and healthcare—but they'd start with more financial pressure than peers at programs reporting lower debt loads. Before committing, confirm actual program costs and seek out Roosevelt alumni to understand real-world outcomes beyond these national estimates.

Where Roosevelt University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all biotechnology bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs Nationally

Biotechnology bachelors's programs at top institutions nationally

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Roosevelt UniversityChicago$20,280$47,017*—$24,125*—
Worcester State UniversityWorcester$11,286$70,124*$71,966$22,056*0.31
California State Polytechnic University-PomonaPomona$7,439$60,697*$70,089$18,500*0.30
University of California-DavisDavis$15,247$59,156*$75,451$11,985*0.20
Rutgers University-New BrunswickNew Brunswick$17,239$56,509*—$26,686*0.47
Utah Valley UniversityOrem$6,270$52,118*$61,720$16,500*0.32
National Median—$47,016*—$20,618*0.44
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with biotechnology graduates

Natural Sciences Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these fields.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Research Coordinators

Plan, direct, or coordinate clinical research projects. Direct the activities of workers engaged in clinical research projects to ensure compliance with protocols and overall clinical objectives. May evaluate and analyze clinical data.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Water Resource Specialists

Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in biological sciences. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Biological Scientists, All Other

All biological scientists not listed separately.

Bioinformatics Scientists

Conduct research using bioinformatics theory and methods in areas such as pharmaceuticals, medical technology, biotechnology, computational biology, proteomics, computer information science, biology and medical informatics. May design databases and develop algorithms for processing and analyzing genomic information, or other biological information.

Molecular and Cellular Biologists

Research and study cellular molecules and organelles to understand cell function and organization.

Geneticists

Research and study the inheritance of traits at the molecular, organism or population level. May evaluate or treat patients with genetic disorders.

Biologists

Research or study basic principles of plant and animal life, such as origin, relationship, development, anatomy, and functions.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Roosevelt University, approximately 46% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the national median of 18 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.