ROI Major

Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

IL · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 26.99

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other degree from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earn a median salary of $62,040 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $67,582. The degree typically pays for itself in 8 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

$42,246

Typical Career

$62,040

Top Performers

$85,898

Estimated break-even: 8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$414

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,170. Most students can comfortably afford about a $414 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Illinois buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 24.2%
Educational Services 13.6%
Health Care & Social Assistance 10.8%

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

$67,582

Nominal: $62,040 in Illinois (COL 91.8% of national avg) · 8.9% 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).

8 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 $23,043 $32,259 $44,887
5 Years After Graduation $42,246 $62,040 $85,898
10 Years After Graduation $65,954 $96,791 $141,662

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 $62,040 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IL, which has a cost-of-living index of 91.8% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $62,040 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9180) = $67,582 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Biological and Biomedical Sciences from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign experience a significant increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $32,259, which rises to $62,040 five years later, and reaches $96,791 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to approximately $67,581.7 nationally, indicating a competitive earning potential relative to other regions.

The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (24.2%), Educational Services (13.6%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (10.8%). With an estimated break-even point of around eight years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable. This trajectory suggests that while initial earnings may be modest, the long-term financial benefits and career opportunities in diverse fields can justify the educational investment.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other degree at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 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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