Biology at Sonoma State University

Sonoma State's biology program starts slowly but shows remarkable earnings growth, with graduates nearly doubling their income from $34,074 to $56,913 in just four years. That 67% jump is striking for a life sciences degree, and the year-four earnings significantly exceed both the state median ($33,486) and what most California programs deliver at that stage. The program sits right at the 60th percentile among California biology degrees, performing solidly in a competitive state market with 75 programs.

The $19,000 debt load deserves attention—it's actually lower than both the state median ($20,452) and national median ($25,000), making this one of the more affordable biology options in California. However, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56 means graduates start with debt equal to more than half their first-year salary, which can feel tight during that initial career phase. The low starting salary appears to be the bottleneck, likely reflecting the realities of entry-level lab tech and research positions.

For families looking at California biology programs, this represents a reasonable middle-ground option: below-average debt, middle-of-the-pack state performance, and strong income growth that suggests graduates successfully transition into better-paying roles. The key trade-off is weathering those first couple of years while career momentum builds.