Biology at Washington & Jefferson College

Washington & Jefferson's biology graduates start around $30,000 annually—trailing both the national median ($32,316) and falling well short of Pennsylvania's state median ($35,122). Within Pennsylvania's 85 biology programs, this places in just the 40th percentile, meaning six out of ten comparable programs deliver better initial earnings. The gap becomes more striking when you consider top PA performers like Lehigh ($45,695) and Holy Family ($44,567) nearly double these starting salaries.

The $27,000 debt load sits right at Pennsylvania's median and slightly above the national figure, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.90. While that's technically manageable territory, it means nearly a full year's salary dedicated to repaying loans—a tighter squeeze than ideal for a biology graduate likely facing graduate school or additional training for many career paths. The silver lining is that W&J keeps debt relatively contained compared to national averages, landing in the 5th percentile for debt burden.

The critical caveat: this data represents fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could swing significantly year to year. For a family considering this $60,000+ per year investment, the current data suggests you're paying private college tuition for below-average outcomes in a state with stronger, often more affordable options. Unless your student has compelling reasons to choose W&J specifically—research opportunities, graduate school placement, or significant merit aid—Pennsylvania's public universities and higher-performing private schools merit serious consideration.