Home › Purdue University-Main Campus › Biology, General

Biology, General at Purdue University-Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $40,145/yr (25% vs median)

AI Risk High (40% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (113,000 openings/yr)

ROI 17.5x earnings multiple (6.1x out-of-state)

Ranked #5 of 822 Biology, General programs Top 1%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Biology, General graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$713K	$698K	$623K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	17.8x	17.5x	15.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	6.2x	6.1x	5.4x
Probability of Field Employment	49%	45%	35%
DegreeOutlook Score	60	59	57

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$39,968

Out-of-state: $115,176 (6.1x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$55,780

-40% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$19,500

5.8 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$77,863

94% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $40,145/yr, edging above the $32,219 national average for Biology, General — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

The 17.5x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 40% task exposure — and the 13% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $19,500 in median debt against $40,145 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

A #5 ranking out of 822 programs puts Purdue University-Main Campus in the top 1% for Biology, General. By our composite measure, very few programs deliver stronger results.

Earnings growth from $40,145 to $77,863 over five years (94% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Purdue University-Main Campus

With a 50% acceptance rate, Purdue University-Main Campus is moderately selective, one of the larger campuses at 39,637 students in West Lafayette, IN.

See all programs and financial aid at Purdue University-Main Campus →

Top Career Paths

Natural sciences managers $161,180/yr

Medical scientists, except epidemiologists $100,590/yr

Biological scientists, all other $93,330/yr

View all 10 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Biology, General at Other Schools

Compare Biology, General

Other Majors at Purdue University-Main Campus

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Purdue University-Main Campus's Biology, General program score?

This program scores 59/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Biology, General graduates.

How vulnerable is Biology, General to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Biology, General careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 40% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why does Purdue University-Main Campus rank so high for Biology, General?

The #5 ranking out of 822 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →