ROI Major

Genetics at Ohio State University (The)

OH · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 26.07

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Genetics degree from Ohio State University (The) earn a median salary of $50,283 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $55,808. The degree typically pays for itself in 11.1 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

$37,026

Typical Career

$50,283

Top Performers

$67,587

Estimated break-even: 11.1 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$335

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,190. Most students can comfortably afford about a $335 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x 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

$55,808

Nominal: $50,283 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).

11.1 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 $23,108 $30,812 $40,242
5 Years After Graduation $37,026 $50,283 $67,587
10 Years After Graduation $51,161 $68,807 $101,750

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 $50,283 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)
= $50,283 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010) = $55,808 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Genetics from Ohio State University can expect a steady increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $30,812, rising to $50,283 five years later, and reaching $68,807 a decade post-graduation. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $55,807. This indicates that while initial earnings may be modest, the long-term financial outlook is favorable, especially considering the lower cost of living in Ohio (COL index of 0.901).

The primary industries for Genetics graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (15.6%), Educational Services (14.9%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (14.0%). This diverse range of sectors suggests that graduates have multiple pathways to employment, enhancing their career prospects. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 11.1 years compared to a high-school-only path, pursuing a degree in Genetics at Ohio State University appears to offer a solid return on investment over time, particularly as graduates advance in their careers.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Genetics 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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