Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology at University of West Florida

The small sample size here demands caution, but the pattern is worth examining: University of West Florida biology graduates start at $25,299—well below both Florida's median ($26,616) and the national average ($29,460) for this field. While the program ranks at the 40th percentile among Florida's 13 offerings, it falls to the 24th percentile nationally, suggesting this isn't just a Florida phenomenon but a program-specific challenge. The debt load of $20,731 is actually more manageable than many peers, resulting in a 0.82 debt-to-earnings ratio that's workable if not impressive.

The 13% earnings bump to $28,560 by year four shows some trajectory, though graduates remain behind programs like Nova Southeastern ($31,114) and University of Tampa ($29,603). For parents weighing this against other Florida biology programs, the lower debt partially offsets the earnings gap—you're looking at roughly $2,500 less in loans compared to the state median while earning about $1,300 less annually at the start.

Given the small sample, a single exceptional or struggling graduate could skew these numbers significantly. If your student is committed to ecology or evolutionary biology specifically and plans graduate school anyway—where these starting salaries matter less—UWF's combination of reasonable debt and accessible admission (57% acceptance rate) makes sense. But if they're keeping bachelor's-level career options open, the earnings lag compared to stronger Florida programs is real enough to consider alternatives.