Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology at San Francisco State University

San Francisco State's biology graduates outperform most of their peers nationally, placing in the 85th percentile for first-year earnings at $34,764—well above the national median of $29,460 for this field. With debt estimated around $18,834 based on comparable California programs, that translates to a manageable 0.54 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates typically earn nearly twice what they owe. This positions the program competitively against other California schools, though a few CSU campuses like San Marcos and Long Beach report slightly higher earnings.

The real question is whether those first-year earnings hold up over time. Biology-related fields often require graduate degrees for career advancement, and $34,764 isn't far from what many retail managers make. Still, relative to other biology programs nationally, SF State graduates start ahead. The school's high Pell enrollment (41%) suggests it's serving students who might not have access to pricier UC options, and the near-universal admission rate means this outcome is achievable for most applicants.

If your child plans to work immediately after graduation or sees this as a stepping stone to graduate school, the numbers work—modest debt paired with above-average starting pay for the field. If they're hoping this bachelor's alone will launch a lucrative science career, temper expectations accordingly.