Microbiological Sciences and Immunology at University of Georgia

UGA's Microbiological Sciences and Immunology program shows respectable earnings growth but starts graduates at a modest salary of $37,864—just below the national median. The debt load of $23,214 is manageable relative to those first-year earnings, though it's slightly above the national average for this field. The 36% jump to $51,416 by year four suggests graduates either develop valuable skills on the job or transition into better-paying roles after gaining experience.

Within Georgia, this program ranks in the 60th percentile for earnings, though that comparison has limited meaning since UGA appears to be the only school in the state offering this specific bachelor's degree. The more relevant benchmark is national: at the 49th percentile, it's essentially average. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61 sits in the comfortable range—graduates should be able to manage repayment without undue hardship.

The caveat here matters: with fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, these numbers could shift significantly with a larger sample. A few high earners or a few struggling graduates can skew the picture considerably. For students passionate about microbiology and immunology, this program offers a solid foundation from a respected institution, but families should understand they're looking at middle-of-the-road starting salaries that improve notably with time, not the immediate high earnings of fields like engineering or computer science.