Summary
Biology is a popular college major in the United States, but recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that it has one of the lowest starting salaries for new graduates. Graduates with biology degrees earn a median early-career wage of approximately $45,000. Despite this, salaries improve significantly by mid-career for those who gain further education or experience.
Key Facts
- Biology majors earn a median early-career wage of about $45,000.
- The early-career period is defined as ages 22 to 27.
- Biology is a common major in the U.S., with about 131,500 degrees awarded in the 2021–22 academic year.
- At mid-career (ages 35 to 45), biology majors earn a median wage of about $83,000.
- Biology majors have a similar unemployment rate to the average for recent graduates, at about 4.3%.
- Biology can lead to higher pay with advanced degrees and is common for careers in medicine and research.
- Other non-STEM fields like business and communications start with higher salaries compared to biology.
