Biology · Iowa State University
How much do Iowa State University Biology graduates earn?
Iowa State University's bachelor's graduates in Biology earned a median $53,447 four years after graduating, 7% below the $57,214 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $32,528; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $22,375 in federal loans at this college (about $237 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $24,614 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level).
- Median earnings, 4 years after:
- $53,447
- National median, same program:
- $57,214
- Federal debt borrowed at this college (median):
- $22,375
- Monthly payment, 10-year plan:
- $237
Iowa State University, bachelor's in Biology. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Debt: graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20; total including other colleges attended $24,614. College Scorecard, 10 June 2026.
Quick answers
- What do Biology graduates of Iowa State University earn?
- Iowa State University's bachelor's graduates in Biology earned a median $53,447 four years after graduating (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23).
- How much federal debt do Biology graduates of Iowa State University have?
- Graduates who borrowed took out a median $22,375 in federal loans at Iowa State University (College Scorecard, graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20); counting federal loans from every college they attended at the same degree level, their total was $24,614.
- How does Iowa State University compare with the national median for Biology?
- $53,447 is 7% below the $57,214 national median for bachelor's programs in the same field (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23).
- How does Iowa State University compare with other Iowa Biology programs?
- It is 14% below the $62,391 earned by graduates of the typical Iowa bachelor's program in the field (5 programs, College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23).
- Is a Biology degree from Iowa State University worth it?
- Federal data cannot decide that for you, but it puts the figures side by side: Iowa State University's bachelor's graduates in Biology earned a median $53,447 four years after graduating (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23), and those who borrowed took out a median $22,375 in federal loans there, about $237 a month on a 10-year plan, roughly 5% of the median graduate's monthly earnings before tax (College Scorecard, graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20).
Biology at Iowa State University, by credential
2 credential levels have federal figures, largest graduating classes first. Federal program group: Biology, General (CIP 26.01), which includes its related specialties.
| Credential | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings, 1 yr after | Earnings, 4 yrs after | vs national | Debt borrowed at this college | Total debt incl. other colleges | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 351 | $32,528 | $53,447 | −7% | $22,375 | $24,614 | $237/mo |
| Master's | 66 | $28,875 | — | — | $22,505 | — | $256/mo |
The one-year and four-year figures describe different graduating classes (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21 and 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23) in different dollars, so the gap between them is not one class's pay growth. A dash means the Department of Education suppressed the figure because too few graduates were measured.
What the two debt figures mean
Federal debt borrowed at this college: the median of the federal loans (Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS) that graduates who borrowed took out at this college.
Total federal debt, including other colleges attended: the same graduates' federal loans from every college they attended, counting only loans at the same level as this credential (undergraduate loans for an undergraduate credential, graduate loans for a graduate one).
Neither figure includes Parent PLUS loans, private loans or accrued interest. The two differ most for transfer students and for degree-completion programs such as RN-to-BSN. Monthly payment is for the debt borrowed at this college. Source: College Scorecard, Field of Study data documentation (September 2025), "Cumulative loan debt".
Cite this data
- Statistic
- Iowa State University's bachelor's graduates in Biology earned a median $53,447 four years after graduating, against a national median of $57,214 for the same program and credential.
- Data period
- Graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19 who received federal aid, worked and were not enrolled; earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars (184 graduates measured).
- Source
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field-of-study data (release of 10 June 2026)
- Page
- https://campuspin.com/schools/iowa-state-university/programs/biology
- Suggested citation
- CampusPin (2026). Iowa State University Biology: graduate earnings and debt. Data: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study, 10 June 2026. https://campuspin.com/schools/iowa-state-university/programs/biology
Or paste these figures into your page as a small table (departments, admissions, counselors)
Plain HTML with no script and no tracking: each credential's figure with its period and source, and one link back to this page.
How does Iowa State University compare with other Iowa Biology programs?
Across the 5 Iowa bachelor's programs in Biology with a federal earnings figure, the typical program's graduates earned $62,391; Iowa State University's $53,447 is 14% below that.
| College (bachelor's) | Earnings, 4 yrs after | 1 yr after (later class) | Debt borrowed at this college |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luther College | $63,998 | $29,359 | $26,391 |
| Morningside University | $62,400 | $32,620 | $26,478 |
| University of Northern Iowa | $62,391 | $36,286 | $20,720 |
| University of Iowa | $60,450 | $34,813 | $22,875 |
| Iowa State University (this college) | $53,447 | $32,528 | $22,375 |
All 5 Iowa programs, ordered by one federal measure (median earnings four years after graduating), not a ranking of program quality. Only programs with at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort are listed.
Every Biology program in Iowa. Compare Biology programs and share the result
What the new federal loan limits mean for this graduate program
For loans first disbursed on or after 1 July 2026, new graduate borrowers can take at most $20,500 a year and $100,000 in total in federal loans, or $50,000 and $200,000 in programs the Department treats as professional (Federal Student Aid, May 2026). Iowa State University's master's graduates in Biology borrowed a median $22,505 under the old rules. Which graduate programs' typical debt is over the new caps.
Questions about Biology at Iowa State University
- How much do Iowa State University Biology graduates earn?
- Iowa State University's bachelor's graduates in Biology earned a median $53,447 four years after graduating, 7% below the $57,214 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $32,528; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $22,375 in federal loans at this college (about $237 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $24,614 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level).
- How much student debt do Iowa State University Biology graduates have?
- Iowa State University's bachelor's graduates in Biology who borrowed took out a median $22,375 in federal loans at Iowa State University, about $237 a month on a standard 10-year plan (graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20, College Scorecard). Counting federal loans from every college they attended at the same degree level, their total was a median $24,614; the difference is loans taken at earlier colleges, which matters most for transfer and RN-to-BSN students. Neither figure includes Parent PLUS loans, private loans or accrued interest. The two differ most for transfer students and for degree-completion programs such as RN-to-BSN.
- How does Iowa State University's Biology program compare with others in Iowa?
- Across the 5 Iowa bachelor's programs in Biology with a federal earnings figure, the typical program's graduates earned $62,391; Iowa State University's $53,447 is 14% below that.
Keep going
- Iowa State University: cost, admissions and every program
- Biology major guide: what it pays nationally
- Same degree, different paycheck: how much the college matters
- What does Biology pay at other colleges?
Jobs Biology graduates often go into
From the Biologymajor guide. Graduates spread across many jobs; these pay figures are for everyone in the job, not for this program's graduates.
Other programs at Iowa State University with graduate earnings
- Animal Science
- Food Science
- Conservation Science
- Forestry
- Architecture
- Urban Planning
- Landscape Architecture
- Communications
- Journalism
- Computer Science
- Education
- Aerospace Engineering
- Agricultural Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Materials Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Construction Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- English & Literature
- Microbiology
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Criminal Justice
- Economics
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Business Administration
- Accounting
- Finance
- Hospitality Management
- Information Systems
- Marketing
- History
Median earnings of graduates who received federal student aid, worked, and were not enrolled in school; debt is the median federal loans borrowed at this college by graduates who borrowed (Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS; not Parent PLUS, private loans or interest). Programs with too few graduates are suppressed by the Department of Education. Earnings reflect who enrolls, where graduates live and the jobs they take, as well as the program itself. Download every program (CSV).
Data sources & methodology
Figures on this page come from the Department of Education's College Scorecard field-of-study file, matched to Iowa State University by its federal UNITID.
Sources used across this page
Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.
Program-level median earnings one and four years after completing, and median federal loan debt at completion, by institution, 4-digit CIP field and credential level.
College Scorecard, Field of Study data documentation
How the field-of-study cohorts are built, which graduates are counted, and how small cells are suppressed and perturbed for privacy.
Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.
Suggested citation
CampusPin. (10 June 2026). Iowa State University Biology: graduate earnings and debt. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/schools/iowa-state-university/programs/biology