Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $26,754/yr fall 17% below the $32,219 national median for Biology. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
At 8.7x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 40% task exposure — and the 1% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $33,691 debt load exceeds a year of the $26,754 starting salary, suggesting a multi-year repayment window before graduates break even financially.
At #705 out of 822 programs, Lane College's financial outcomes for Biology trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.