Biology at University of Mississippi

Ole Miss biology graduates face a punishing first year, earning just $21,325—below even Mississippi's low state median and ranking in the bottom 5% nationally. That first-year figure puts graduates behind most Mississippi biology programs, including historically Black institutions like Alcorn State ($27,607) and Jackson State ($25,354). With $21,500 in debt, new graduates earn barely more than they owe, creating immediate financial pressure that forces many into survival jobs rather than career-building positions.

The dramatic turnaround by year four tells a different story. Earnings more than double to $45,461, suggesting graduates eventually find their footing in graduate programs, professional schools, or technical positions. This trajectory is common for biology majors nationwide, but the initial gap is wider here than at better-ranked programs. The concerning piece: this sits at the 60th percentile within Mississippi, meaning it's merely middle-of-the-pack in a state where biology programs already underperform nationally.

For families banking on biology as a pre-med or pre-professional pathway, this works only if your student has a clear plan beyond the bachelor's degree. If they're headed to medical, dental, or graduate school, the first-year earnings barely matter. But for students hoping the biology degree itself leads to stable employment, those first years will be financially difficult, and even the later earnings leave graduates well behind national standards for the field.