Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology at University at Albany

The small sample size here is critical context, but the numbers suggest something worth examining: Albany's molecular biology program produces first-year earnings nearly $3,500 below the state median and almost $5,000 below the national benchmark. Among New York biochemistry programs, this lands around the 40th percentile—meaning six out of ten similar programs in the state deliver stronger initial earnings. Compare this to nearby SUNY Geneseo ($37,206) or especially Binghamton ($41,305), and the gap becomes harder to ignore.

The debt picture is actually reasonable at $23,250—right in line with state and national norms for this degree. With a 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio, graduates face manageable repayment in theory, but that assumes the $33,266 starting salary holds up across a larger sample and improves with time. For a SUNY school serving substantial numbers of Pell Grant students (42%), these modest starting salaries could still create financial strain, particularly when other public options in the system show meaningfully better outcomes.

If your child is set on biochemistry at a SUNY school, the data suggests looking closely at Binghamton or Geneseo first. Albany may work if there are specific research opportunities or scholarship offers that change the value equation, but based purely on early-career earnings, this program underperforms both its state peers and the national average.