ROI Major

Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology at Ohio State University (The)

OH · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 26.02

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology degree from Ohio State University (The) earn a median salary of $62,331 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $69,180. The degree typically pays for itself in 7.5 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

$45,647

Typical Career

$62,331

Top Performers

$74,621

Estimated break-even: 7.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$416

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,194. Most students can comfortably afford about a $416 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 Ohio buys what costs $0.90 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 15.6%
Educational Services 14.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance 14.0%

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

$69,180

Nominal: $62,331 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% 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).

7.5 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 $26,943 $36,529 $47,883
5 Years After Graduation $45,647 $62,331 $74,621
10 Years After Graduation $75,281 $110,768 $192,543

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 $62,331 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $62,331 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010) = $69,180 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology from Ohio State University can expect a significant increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $36,529, which rises to $62,331 after five years and reaches $110,768 by the ten-year mark. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary reflects a national equivalent of $69,179.8, indicating that graduates can maintain a competitive financial standing despite regional cost-of-living differences, as Ohio's cost-of-living index is 0.901 compared to the national average.

The top industries that graduates enter include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (15.6%), Educational Services (14.9%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (14.0%). The estimated break-even point for pursuing this degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 7.5 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for those who complete their studies. Overall, the combination of strong earnings potential and diverse career opportunities makes this academic path a viable option for students considering their future in the sciences.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology degree at Ohio State University (The) 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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