Biology, General bachelor's degree at Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL · Private nonprofit
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
There is not enough evidence for a firm comparison.
Review the available cost, debt and earnings figures below before deciding.
Debt as a share of earnings
Not available
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not available: earnings are missing
Modeled 10-year payoff
Not available: earnings are missing
Available price data
College-wide context only
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
Not availableEarnings growth, year 1 → 5Not available → $76,296Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohortNot availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort28Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median24Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt medianNot availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credentialNot 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.
75Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers36Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count54Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earningsNot availableA like-for-like comparison is unavailable
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$26,975
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$21,500
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGSNot available
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$228/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.
Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.
Not availableYear 1
Not availableYear 4
$76,296Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
Repayment pressure is not available
Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.
Gross monthly earningsNot available
Estimated loan payment$228
24borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
Not available vs. $57,214
The like-for-like difference is unavailable.
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$99,060 median wageIL estimate · 2,340 jobs · 25-1042$62,740–$132,780 middle 50% of IL wages+7.3% projected U.S. growth · 4,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeBiological Technicians$55,790 median wageIL estimate · 790 jobs · 19-4021$39,940–$70,060 middle 50% of IL wages+7.4% projected U.S. growth · 9,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNatural Sciences Managers$159,670 median wageIL estimate · 2,810 jobs · 11-9121$115,190–$208,440 middle 50% of IL wages+8.2% projected U.S. growth · 9,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeForensic Science Technicians$124,790 median wageIL estimate · 370 jobs · 19-4092$79,190–$129,590 middle 50% of IL wages+13.3% projected U.S. growth · 2,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBiological Scientists, All Other$82,640 median wageIL estimate · 1,300 jobs · 19-1029$64,010–$106,020 middle 50% of IL wages+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 4,300 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$82,330 median wageIL estimate · 4,700 jobs · 19-1042$65,570–$104,700 middle 50% of IL wages+12.6% projected U.S. growth · 10,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$79,990 median wageIL estimate · 44,670 jobs · 25-2031$62,330–$104,670 middle 50% of IL wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeLife Scientists, All Other$66,190 median wageIL estimate · 160 jobs · 19-1099$57,270–$70,690 middle 50% of IL wages+6.3% projected U.S. growth · 400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFood Science Technicians$60,820 median wageIL estimate · 290 jobs · 19-4013$50,730–$81,090 middle 50% of IL wages+4.8% projected U.S. growth · 3,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degreeAgricultural Technicians$46,410 median wageIL estimate · 700 jobs · 19-4012$39,960–$61,630 middle 50% of IL wages+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 2,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degree
CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS
Where graduates work five years later
The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.
01
Health Care and Social Assistance
about 37.4%02
Educational Services
about 19.2%03
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
about 9.4%04
Manufacturing
about 8.4%05
Finance and Insurance
about 7.4%
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.