Biology at University of Maine at Farmington

The small graduating class here limits what we can conclude, but UMF's biology program shows slightly below-average first-year earnings for Maine—roughly $1,200 less than the state median and trailing schools like USM and Colby by over $10,000. At $33,300, graduates earn just above the national average, placing them in the 56th percentile nationally but only the 40th percentile within Maine. That gap matters for families weighing in-state options, since you're paying Maine tuition for Maine-level outcomes that fall short of what larger state universities deliver.

The debt picture offers some reassurance. At $27,000, graduates carry manageable loans—significantly below what biology majors typically face nationwide. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81 means students can realistically pay off their loans within a reasonable timeframe, assuming they find work in their field or pursue further education. For a program at an open-admission campus serving 32% Pell-eligible students, keeping debt this controlled is genuinely valuable.

The small sample size makes it hard to know whether these numbers represent a consistent pattern or just reflect one unusual cohort. If your child is seriously considering biology here, ask the school about graduate school placement rates and whether most students view the bachelor's degree as a stepping stone to advanced degrees—which could explain the modest initial earnings.