ROI Major

Biology, General at Morris College

SC · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 26.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Biology, General degree from Morris College earn a median salary of $39,048 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in SC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $41,017. The degree typically pays for itself in 48 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$28,303

Typical Career

$39,048

Top Performers

$52,232

Estimated break-even: 48 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$260

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,254. Most students can comfortably afford about a $260 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in South Carolina buys what costs $0.95 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Public Administration.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 17.3%
Educational Services 16.3%
Public Administration 10.5%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$41,017

Nominal: $39,048 in South Carolina (COL 95.2% of national avg) · 5% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

48 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $21,405 $26,967 $34,978
5 Years After Graduation $28,303 $39,048 $52,232
10 Years After Graduation $32,198 $43,271 $58,692

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $39,048 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in SC, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $39,048 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9520) = $41,017 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates with a degree in Biology, General from Morris College can expect a gradual increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $26,967, rising to $39,048 five years post-graduation, and reaching $43,271 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the median earnings five years after graduation are approximately $41,016.81, reflecting the cost of living in South Carolina, which has a COL index of 0.952 compared to the national average of 1.0.

The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (17.3%), Educational Services (16.3%), and Public Administration (10.5%). While these sectors offer stable employment opportunities, the estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 48 years, indicating a long-term return on investment. Prospective students should weigh these factors carefully, considering both the potential for career growth and the time it may take to recoup educational expenses.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Biology, General degree at Morris College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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