Biology at University of California-Riverside

UC Riverside's biology program starts graduates at concerning salary levels—$26,863 in the first year places it in just the 20th percentile nationally and 25th percentile among California biology programs. While the debt load of $19,000 is manageable compared to national averages, those initial earnings lag significantly behind the state median of $33,486 and top California programs like UC San Diego ($54,223) and Cal State East Bay ($44,370).

The program's saving grace is impressive earnings growth: salaries jump 64% to $44,091 by year four, eventually reaching competitive levels. This suggests UCR biology graduates may need additional credentials, graduate school, or time to build experience before seeing strong returns. The robust sample size of 100+ graduates makes these patterns reliable, not statistical noise.

For families weighing this investment, UCR biology represents a delayed payoff rather than immediate career launch. The relatively low debt helps, but parents should budget for potentially supporting their graduate during those lean early years or factor in costs for additional education. If your child is committed to biology and UCR's price point works for your family, the long-term trajectory looks solid—just don't expect quick financial independence after graduation.