Biology at Upper Iowa University

Upper Iowa's biology graduates are earning substantially more than those from most other programs—$43,311 puts them in the 95th percentile nationally and 80th percentile among Iowa programs. They're outearning Drake and essentially matching Grand View, despite UIU's open-access admissions profile. That's genuinely impressive for a small-school biology program, especially when the national median sits at just $32,316.

The debt picture looks reasonable at $27,000, which is actually at the Iowa median and well below the national average for biology programs. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62, graduates can realistically manage repayment on a single year's salary. The combination of strong earnings and moderate debt puts this program ahead of more selective schools like Grinnell, where biology graduates earn $37,170—over $6,000 less annually.

The major caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could shift significantly year to year. Small sample sizes can produce outlier results that don't represent the typical graduate experience. Still, for parents looking at in-state biology options, UIU's outcomes suggest students can access strong career preparation without the price tag or competitive admissions of Iowa's private liberal arts colleges. The earnings advantage over the state median ($9,000 more) is too substantial to dismiss, even accounting for the small sample.