Biology, General at Western Wyoming Community College
WY · Associate's Degree · CIP 26.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Biology, General degree from Western Wyoming Community College earn a median salary of $54,306 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $58,331. The degree typically pays for itself in 11.6 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$37,592
Typical Career
$54,306
Top Performers
$76,958
Estimated break-even: 11.6 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$362
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,526. Most students can comfortably afford about a $362 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Wyoming buys what costs $0.93 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Retail Trade.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$58,331
Nominal: $54,306 in Wyoming (COL 93.1% of national avg) · 7.4% 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).
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 | $18,393 | $24,810 | $35,528 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $37,592 | $54,306 | $76,958 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $38,967 | $64,930 | $82,614 |
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 $54,306 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WY, which has a cost-of-living index of 93.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $54,306 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9310)
= $58,331 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that employ these graduates are Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 30.4% and 27.4% of the workforce, alongside Mining, Quarrying & Oil/Gas Extraction at 15.3%. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 11.6 years, suggesting that while the initial investment in education may take time to recoup, the long-term benefits in terms of earnings and job opportunities in these sectors present a favorable return on investment for students pursuing this degree.
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Other Degrees at Western Wyoming Community College
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.