Microbiological Sciences and Immunology at University of Idaho

University of Idaho's microbiology program sits in an unusual position: it's the stronger of just two such programs in Idaho, yet trails the national median by about $2,000 annually. With only a handful of graduates in the data, these numbers tell an incomplete story, but what we can see suggests a workable financial outcome rather than an exceptional one.

The debt picture offers the clearest bright spot. At $24,250, graduates carry slightly more than the national median, but the 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio means a borrower earning $36,118 could theoretically dedicate about 15% of their income to federal loan payments for ten years—manageable territory for a science degree. The real concern is whether these earnings represent career entry points or ceilings. Microbiology graduates typically need graduate education or laboratory experience to reach higher pay bands, and first-year earnings just above $36,000 may reflect the local Moscow-area job market more than the field's potential.

For families committed to keeping their student in Idaho, this program offers reasonable preparation without excessive debt. However, if your child is considering graduate school (common in this field) or willing to relocate after graduation, comparing this to larger programs with stronger industry connections would be wise. The small cohort size also means less certainty about typical outcomes—one or two outliers can skew these figures significantly.