Biology at University of Washington-Bothell Campus

UW-Bothell's biology program punches above its weight nationally but tells a more nuanced story within Washington state. While graduates earn in the 88th percentile compared to biology programs nationwide, they land at the 60th percentile among Washington schools—essentially tied with UW-Seattle and UW-Tacoma at $38,716 starting, but trailing the state median of $35,080 isn't the concern here. The real story is the debt advantage: graduates leave with just $14,223 in loans compared to $22,042 statewide and $25,000 nationally, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37 that most biology programs can't match.

The earnings trajectory looks solid, with 38% growth to $53,261 by year four. For a biology degree—often a stepping stone to grad school or medical training—starting at nearly $39K while carrying minimal debt gives graduates real flexibility. They can pursue additional education, take lower-paying research positions, or pivot to adjacent fields without drowning in undergraduate loans.

The accessible admissions (92% acceptance) combined with strong outcomes suggests this program delivers genuine value rather than relying on student selectivity. For Washington families comparing options, UW-Bothell offers comparable starting salaries to the flagship Seattle campus but with potentially lower attendance costs and substantially less debt—a combination that makes this biology program worth serious consideration, especially for students planning graduate education.