Biology at SUNY College at Potsdam

SUNY Potsdam's biology program starts graduates at a difficult $25,459—well below both the national and New York state medians of around $32,000. Among New York's 92 biology programs, it ranks only in the 25th percentile for earnings. The debt load of $25,000 equals your first-year salary, creating immediate financial pressure that many biology graduates at better-performing programs don't face.

The silver lining is meaningful: earnings nearly double by year four, reaching $46,967. This suggests graduates are successfully pivoting into higher-paying roles, whether that's graduate school completion, healthcare positions, or research jobs. That 85% growth rate indicates this isn't a dead-end degree, but rather one where the payoff requires patience and likely additional training or credentials.

For families weighing this against other SUNY options or private schools, understand that you're accepting a tough first few years in exchange for eventual decent earnings. The 43% Pell grant population suggests many students here navigate these lean early years, but it requires either family support, side income, or graduate school deferment to make the numbers work. If your child needs immediate earning power after graduation, biology programs at Hamilton or even CUNY Medgar Evers show stronger year-one outcomes.