Biology at Saint Francis University

Saint Francis University's biology program starts graduates at just $25,411—roughly $10,000 below Pennsylvania's median for biology majors and $7,000 below the national average. Even with the caveat that this data reflects a small graduating class, the 14th percentile nationally signals a genuine concern about career outcomes. Compare this to other accessible PA schools: East Stroudsburg, with a similar admission profile, launches biology grads at $43,182.

The debt load itself is reasonable at $27,000, matching Pennsylvania's median and sitting in the 5th percentile nationally (meaning 95% of biology programs saddle students with more debt). The problem is that first-year earnings barely cover that debt, creating a 1.06 debt-to-earnings ratio. For context, Pennsylvania's biology median of $35,122 would make that same debt level far more manageable.

Biology is often a stepping stone to graduate programs in healthcare or research, which could explain depressed initial earnings if many graduates pursue additional education immediately. But without data on graduate school enrollment rates, parents should verify what career paths recent graduates actually took. If your child plans to work directly after graduation rather than continue to medical or graduate school, the earning trajectory here presents a financial challenge that competing Pennsylvania programs seem to handle better.