Biology at Southern Wesleyan University

Southern Wesleyan's biology graduates earn $39,464 in their first year—a figure that ranks in the 92nd percentile nationally and 80th percentile statewide, outpacing even programs at The Citadel and University of South Carolina campuses. That's roughly $7,000 above the national median for biology bachelor's degrees and nearly $9,000 above the state median. While the debt figure here is estimated from similar South Carolina programs at $27,000, the earnings advantage is substantial enough that the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68 looks manageable compared to what biology graduates typically face.

The open-admission profile might initially raise eyebrows, but the outcomes tell a different story. Biology programs can vary wildly in their preparation for healthcare careers, research positions, or graduate school—and Southern Wesleyan's results suggest their graduates are landing somewhere lucrative. Whether that's physician assistant programs, pharmaceutical sales, clinical research, or other health-related fields, something is working here that doesn't show up in the admissions statistics.

For parents worried about biology being an "underpaid science major," this program appears to defy that stereotype. The estimated debt burden is manageable relative to those first-year earnings, and the school's graduates are outearning peers across South Carolina. If your student is serious about biology and the career paths it opens, these outcomes—even accounting for the estimation involved—point toward solid financial footing after graduation.