Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology at State University of New York at Oswego

SUNY Oswego's biochemistry graduates start at $29,135—roughly $8,000 below the New York state median and nearly $9,000 below the national average for this major. Among New York's 62 biochemistry programs, this ranks in just the 25th percentile, meaning three-quarters of comparable programs in the state produce better first-year outcomes. For context, graduates from nearby SUNY Geneseo earn $37,206, and Binghamton grads start above $41,000.

The lone bright spot here is debt: at $27,000, it's slightly above state and national medians but still manageable relative to earnings, producing a debt-to-earnings ratio under 1.0. That's a lower burden than many biochemistry programs nationwide. However, this advantage doesn't overcome the core earnings problem—starting nearly 24% below the state median in a field that typically launches graduates into lab technician or research assistant roles where geographic pay differences shouldn't be this stark.

The sample size warning matters here: with fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, one or two unusual career paths could skew the entire picture. But if these numbers reflect the typical trajectory, parents should question why this program underperforms so significantly compared to other SUNY options. Unless your child has specific reasons to attend Oswego, the data suggests looking at Geneseo or Binghamton for better return on investment in this field.