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UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 2601

Biology, General: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?

National picture across 3 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$55,777 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$55,777Median year-4 earnings

$15,927Average institution net-price context

$22,505Median federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$55,777Median reported earnings · year 4

Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5

$22,505Median federal debt

59thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

3Reporting programs

2With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

CURRENT VIEW

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $55,777
Federal debt: $22,505
Reporting programs: 3

2 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $45,194
Federal debt: $10,385
Reporting programs: 53

47 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $57,546
Federal debt: $25,000
Reporting programs: 1,010

864 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $71,655
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 58

58 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $108,206
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 14

14 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings: $74,001
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$49,098National median$55,77775th percentile$49,098

2 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point$62,456 2Cabrillo College$49,098 3Davidson CollegeNot available

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1042 · 2 crosswalk linksBiological TechniciansSOC 19-4021 · 2 crosswalk linksAgricultural TechniciansSOC 19-4012 · 1 crosswalk linksBiological Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1029 · 1 crosswalk linksFood Science TechniciansSOC 19-4013 · 1 crosswalk linksForensic Science TechniciansSOC 19-4092 · 1 crosswalk linksLife Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1099 · 1 crosswalk linksMedical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsSOC 19-1042 · 1 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 1 crosswalk linksSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2031 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR BIOLOGY, GENERAL

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	University of Wisconsin-Stevens PointUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Stevens Point, WI	$62,456	$26,010	Baseline needed	$14,559
2	Cabrillo CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Aptos, CA	$49,098	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,843
3	Davidson CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Davidson, NC	Not available	$19,000	Baseline needed	$17,379

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.