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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Biology, General bachelor's degree at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Arcata, CA · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to similar programs.

$1,507 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
36.3% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−54% · Negative payoff
Available price data
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$55,707 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+54%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$32,760 → $50,531
76Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
86Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
113Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
163Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$19,492Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

323Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
47Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
221Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
154Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
6.7%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 26 non-completers
112Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,082Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$55,707$19,625 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 15 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$13,171

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$20,200

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$55,707

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$214/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$13,171Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$25,170Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE98.2%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE48.5%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$32,760Year 1
$55,707Year 4
$50,531Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.6% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$4,642
Estimated loan payment$214
163borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$55,707 vs. $57,214

$1,507 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$129,150 median wageCA estimate · 3,610 jobs · 25-1042$99,550–$177,180 middle 50% of CA wages+7.3% projected U.S. growth · 4,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeBiological Technicians$71,440 median wageCA estimate · 9,210 jobs · 19-4021$56,200–$93,010 middle 50% of CA wages+7.4% projected U.S. growth · 9,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNatural Sciences Managers$210,230 median wageCA estimate · 14,950 jobs · 11-9121$167,630–$304,380 middle 50% of CA wages+8.2% projected U.S. growth · 9,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$136,990 median wageCA estimate · 29,830 jobs · 19-1042$109,570–$162,020 middle 50% of CA wages+12.6% projected U.S. growth · 10,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeBiological Scientists, All Other$113,530 median wageCA estimate · 11,880 jobs · 19-1029$86,090–$154,150 middle 50% of CA wages+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 4,300 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeLife Scientists, All Other$102,830 median wageCA estimate · 860 jobs · 19-1099$79,880–$143,590 middle 50% of CA wages+6.3% projected U.S. growth · 400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeForensic Science Technicians$102,100 median wageCA estimate · 2,800 jobs · 19-4092$80,810–$132,810 middle 50% of CA wages+13.3% projected U.S. growth · 2,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$101,370 median wageCA estimate · 99,230 jobs · 25-2031$79,710–$125,920 middle 50% of CA wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeAgricultural Technicians$60,320 median wageCA estimate · 2,420 jobs · 19-4012$46,710–$63,770 middle 50% of CA wages+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 2,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degreeFood Science Technicians$54,200 median wageCA estimate · 3,990 jobs · 19-4013$47,080–$64,100 middle 50% of CA wages+4.8% projected U.S. growth · 3,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degree
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

San Francisco, CA

San Francisco State University

$18,497 higher earnings · $5,200 less debt · $893 lower annual net price

Earnings
$74,204
Debt
$15,000
Annual net price
$12,278
View outcomes →
La Jolla, CA

University of California, San Diego

$8,730 higher earnings · $2,533 less debt · $701 lower annual net price

Earnings
$64,437
Debt
$17,667
Annual net price
$12,470
View outcomes →
Camarillo, CA

California State University, Channel Islands

$6,677 higher earnings · $700 less debt · $3,322 lower annual net price

Earnings
$62,384
Debt
$19,500
Annual net price
$9,849
View outcomes →
Los Angeles, CA

University of California, Los Angeles

$6,097 higher earnings · $4,172 less debt · $623 lower annual net price

Earnings
$61,804
Debt
$16,028
Annual net price
$12,548
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

113 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

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