Biology at Sul Ross State University

Sul Ross State University's biology program faces a significant challenge: graduates start at just $31,629—barely above the state median but roughly $1,000 below the national average. More concerning is that this remote Alpine campus serves a predominantly low-income student body (52% Pell recipients), yet its biology graduates earn $4,000-$7,000 less than peers at comparable Texas public universities like Texas State or Texas A&M campuses. The 60th percentile state ranking sounds middling, but it masks how far this program lags behind most four-year institutions in a state with 70 biology programs.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $19,081, graduates owe about $4,000 less than the Texas median. This 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable if these grads can quickly move beyond entry-level positions. However, Sul Ross's open-admission profile (96% acceptance, 984 average SAT) suggests students may face steeper career advancement challenges than graduates from selective institutions.

A major caveat: the sample size here is extremely small—under 30 graduates. These numbers could swing dramatically year-to-year, making this data less reliable than programs with larger cohorts. For families considering Sul Ross biology, the low debt is genuine advantage, but the earnings gap compared to other Texas schools—combined with the program's isolation in far West Texas—raises questions about career placement support and opportunities. If graduate school or healthcare professions are the goal, this could work as an affordable stepping stone. For immediate career outcomes, look closely at job placement specifics.