Biology at Savannah State University

At first glance, Savannah State's biology program looks risky—graduates earn just $26,114 in their first year, ranking in the 17th percentile nationally. But zoom out to Georgia specifically, and the picture becomes more nuanced. This program actually sits near the middle of the pack for the state (40th percentile), reflecting Georgia's generally challenging market for biology majors rather than just this school's performance. The concerning part is the debt: at $33,777, it's substantially higher than both the state median ($25,878) and national average ($25,000), ranking in the bottom 5% nationally for debt burden.

The earnings trajectory offers some hope—graduates see nearly 50% income growth by year four, reaching $38,873. That's meaningful momentum, though still well below top performers like Middle Georgia State ($35,281 in year one). With 65% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here are counting on this degree to change their economic trajectory, and carrying debt that exceeds first-year earnings by 29% makes that climb steeper.

For Georgia families, this comes down to cost containment. If your student can minimize borrowing—through grants, work-study, or community college transfer credits—the program's value improves considerably. But at full debt load, graduates face a difficult first few years that other Georgia biology programs might avoid. Consider whether your student needs the biology degree specifically or if they're using it as pre-med groundwork, because that changes the calculation entirely.