Zoology/Animal Biology: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 54 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$258,317 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
—Modeled economic break-even
−103%Modeled 10-year ROI
$44,201Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$44,201Median reported earnings · year 4
$50,536Average reported earnings · year 5
$24,393Median federal debt
9thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
54Reporting programs
52With year-4 earnings
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.
OPEN PROFILE
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $34,635
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $44,201
- Federal debt
- $24,393
- Reporting programs
- 54
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $73,457
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 3
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $87,716
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
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$41,103National median$44,20175th percentile$54,030
52 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of Connecticut$69,4712University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus$69,4713University of Connecticut-Avery Point$69,4714University of Connecticut-Stamford$69,4715University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus$69,4716Brigham Young University$57,0207University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus$55,6828Ohio University-Eastern Campus$55,3529Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus$55,35210Ohio University-Southern Campus$55,352Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Zoologists and Wildlife BiologistsSOC 19-1023 · 6 crosswalk linksBiological Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1042 · 4 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 4 crosswalk linksBiological TechniciansSOC 19-4021 · 3 crosswalk linksBiological Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1029 · 2 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of ConnecticutBachelor's Degree | Storrs, CT | $69,471 | $23,750 | -13% | Negative payoff |
| 2 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusBachelor's Degree | Waterbury, CT | $69,471 | $23,750 | +9% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | University of Connecticut-Avery PointBachelor's Degree | Groton, CT | $69,471 | $23,750 | +4% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | University of Connecticut-StamfordBachelor's Degree | Stamford, CT | $69,471 | $23,750 | -1% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $69,471 | $23,750 | -0% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Brigham Young UniversityBachelor's Degree | Provo, UT | $57,020 | Not available | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusBachelor's Degree | Norman, OK | $55,682 | $23,375 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Ohio University-Eastern CampusBachelor's Degree | Saint Clairsville, OH | $55,352 | $25,210 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Ohio University-Chillicothe CampusBachelor's Degree | Chillicothe, OH | $55,352 | $25,210 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Ohio University-Southern CampusBachelor's Degree | Ironton, OH | $55,352 | $25,210 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Ohio University-Lancaster CampusBachelor's Degree | Lancaster, OH | $55,352 | $25,210 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Ohio University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Athens, OH | $55,352 | $25,210 | -61% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Ohio University-Zanesville CampusBachelor's Degree | Zanesville, OH | $55,352 | $25,210 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Tarleton State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Stephenville, TX | $54,030 | $18,750 | -66% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | University of California, Santa BarbaraBachelor's Degree | Santa Barbara, CA | $53,727 | Not available | -64% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | North Dakota State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Fargo, ND | $50,701 | $24,250 | -76% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | University of Wisconsin-MadisonBachelor's Degree | Madison, WI | $50,080 | $24,872 | -80% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Weber State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ogden, UT | $49,480 | $20,039 | -80% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Berry CollegeBachelor's Degree | Mount Berry, GA | $48,958 | $24,569 | -85% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Kansas State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Manhattan, KS | $48,908 | $24,853 | -85% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Indiana University-BloomingtonBachelor's Degree | Bloomington, IN | $48,161 | $23,250 | -87% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | San Francisco State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Francisco, CA | $45,722 | $11,000 | -97% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | Ohio State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Columbus, OH | $45,501 | $24,800 | -98% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | University of WyomingBachelor's Degree | Laramie, WY | $44,424 | $23,875 | -102% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Colorado State University-Fort CollinsBachelor's Degree | Fort Collins, CO | $44,226 | $25,000 | -103% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Oregon State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Corvallis, OR | $44,201 | $25,500 | -103% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | Oregon State University-Cascades CampusBachelor's Degree | Bend, OR | $44,201 | $25,500 | -103% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Texas State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Marcos, TX | $43,943 | $25,033 | -104% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Frostburg State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Frostburg, MD | $43,434 | $19,500 | -106% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleBachelor's Degree | Carbondale, IL | $43,207 | $21,717 | -108% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | University of New EnglandBachelor's Degree | Biddeford, ME | $42,941 | $27,000 | -106% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Miami University-OxfordBachelor's Degree | Oxford, OH | $42,883 | $23,562 | -107% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | SUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestryBachelor's Degree | Syracuse, NY | $42,505 | Not available | -110% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | Oklahoma State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Stillwater, OK | $42,474 | $21,750 | -110% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | University of FloridaBachelor's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $41,961 | $20,625 | -115% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Washington State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Pullman, WA | $41,888 | $17,875 | -113% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | Michigan State UniversityBachelor's Degree | East Lansing, MI | $41,768 | $27,000 | -112% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | Texas A&M University-College StationBachelor's Degree | College Station, TX | $41,543 | $17,500 | -113% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | University of New Hampshire-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Durham, NH | $41,343 | $27,000 | -113% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | Liberty UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lynchburg, VA | $41,103 | $24,393 | -113% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | State University of New York at OswegoBachelor's Degree | Oswego, NY | $40,755 | $24,688 | -117% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | Delaware Valley UniversityBachelor's Degree | Doylestown, PA | $40,575 | $26,400 | -115% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | Canisius UniversityBachelor's Degree | Buffalo, NY | $40,174 | $25,000 | -119% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | Carroll UniversityBachelor's Degree | Waukesha, WI | $39,677 | $27,000 | -122% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | Friends UniversityBachelor's Degree | Wichita, KS | $39,329 | $19,500 | -119% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Unity Environmental UniversityBachelor's Degree | New Gloucester, ME | $39,302 | $27,250 | -122% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Lees-McRae CollegeBachelor's Degree | Banner Elk, NC | $38,699 | $24,120 | -121% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | California State Polytechnic University-HumboldtBachelor's Degree | Arcata, CA | $38,495 | $20,690 | -128% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | North Carolina State University at RaleighBachelor's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $38,440 | $21,500 | -126% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | University of VermontBachelor's Degree | Burlington, VT | $38,421 | $23,250 | -126% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | University of MaineBachelor's Degree | Orono, ME | $36,078 | $27,000 | -136% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | Kent State University at KentBachelor's Degree | Kent, OH | $35,875 | $25,000 | -135% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | Ohio Wesleyan UniversityBachelor's Degree | Delaware, OH | Not available | $26,646 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $20,897 |
| 54 | West Texas A&M UniversityBachelor's Degree | Canyon, TX | Not available | $21,406 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $19,487 |
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.