Biology at South Dakota State University

South Dakota State's biology program starts graduates at $32,940—barely above the national median but trailing the state average by nearly $300. More concerning, it ranks in just the 40th percentile among South Dakota's nine biology programs, landing well behind University of Sioux Falls ($46,229) and even slightly behind Black Hills State ($33,518). For a flagship land-grant university, this is an underwhelming position.

The saving grace here is manageable debt and strong earnings growth. At $27,000, graduates carry roughly average debt but face a favorable 0.82 debt-to-earnings ratio that improves significantly as incomes rise 33% to $43,780 by year four. This trajectory matters—by the fourth year, these graduates are pulling ahead of their peers nationally and likely within South Dakota as well. The low debt burden (5th percentile nationally) means graduates have flexibility to pursue graduate school or accept lower-paying research positions early in their careers without being crushed by payments.

The verdict depends on your child's plans. If they're heading straight to graduate school or medical school, the light debt load makes this program workable despite the modest starting salary. But students planning to work after their bachelor's degree should know they're starting below South Dakota's median for biology grads—at a school that essentially admits everyone who applies. The strong four-year earnings suggest the degree opens doors eventually, but those first years will be tight.