Biology at SUNY at Fredonia

SUNY Fredonia's biology program starts below both state and national medians, landing in the 40th percentile among New York biology programs—roughly $10,000 behind the state's top-performing schools. The $31,617 first-year salary trails even the median for New York biology graduates. That said, the debt burden of $22,559 is more manageable than typical biology programs, coming in about $2,500 below both state and national averages. The 0.71 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates can reasonably expect to pay down their loans within a couple years of focused repayment.

The 34% earnings jump by year four ($42,405) is solid and suggests graduates find their footing after entry-level positions. However, keep in mind these figures come from a small sample—fewer than 30 graduates reported data, which means one or two outliers could skew the picture significantly. Biology is notorious for requiring graduate degrees to reach higher earning potential, so if your child is headed toward medical, dental, or graduate school, the lower debt load here becomes more advantageous than at pricier alternatives.

For families prioritizing affordability and in-state tuition, this program won't derail financial plans. But if your student is competitive enough for schools like Hamilton or Barnard (which show $40,000+ first-year salaries), the earnings difference matters—especially if they plan to work with just a bachelor's degree.