Biology at University of Houston-Downtown

A biology degree from University of Houston-Downtown comes with an important caveat: the earnings data is based on fewer than 30 graduates, making it harder to draw firm conclusions. That said, the numbers suggest modest outcomes with a silver lining. First-year earnings of $31,025 trail the national median slightly but actually exceed Texas's state median—this program ranks in the 60th percentile among Texas biology programs, performing better than its peers at UT Arlington, Texas Southern, and even nearby University of Houston. At $23,000 in debt, graduates leave with manageable borrowing, particularly for a university serving predominantly first-generation and Pell-eligible students.

The four-year earnings trajectory shows encouraging growth to $40,680, a 31% increase that suggests graduates gain traction in the job market over time. This matters for a program where more than half of students come from lower-income backgrounds and UH-Downtown's open-access mission provides opportunity to populations often underserved by selective universities. The debt load remains reasonable—you're looking at monthly payments around $250 on a standard repayment plan against that first-year salary.

The practical reality: this isn't the path to six-figure biotech earnings that SMU or private Texas schools might offer, but it's a workable investment for students who need to stay in Houston and keep costs down. Just remember that small sample sizes mean individual outcomes could vary more than usual from these medians.