Biology Degree in Gresham, OR — Salary & ROI 2026
Biology degree analysis for Gresham, OR. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$53K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$83K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7.3 yrs
in Gresham
Cost of Living
110.2
index (100 = avg)
Biology in Gresham, OR Overview
While Gresham has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Biology students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $13,788/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Cell Biology and Genetics. The adjusted starting salary in Gresham is approximately $52,896, growing to $82,650 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$12,400/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$13,788/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,238/yr
Unemployment
3.9%
Graduation Rate
75%
Biology Salary in Gresham (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Gresham's cost of living index of 110.2 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Biology salary: $48,000 starting, $75,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Gresham adjustment factor: 1.10x based on the local cost of living index.
Biology ROI Calculator for Gresham
Estimate your return on investment for a Biology degree using local Gresham tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,400 | Private avg: $38,000
Gresham avg aid: $11,238/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$104,752
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$14,326
vs HS diploma in Gresham
ROI Payback Period
7.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Gresham
$336,048
Lifetime earnings premium ($440,800) minus total education cost ($104,752)
Student Loan Payoff for Biology in Gresham
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Gresham for Biology
Gresham State University
public
$11,604/yr
$46,416 total
University of Gresham
public
$12,019/yr
$48,076 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Gresham Community College
$5,463/yr
Top Employers for Biology in Gresham
Gresham offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Gresham Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Biology Job Titles
Biology in Nearby Oregon Cities
Portland, OR
$54K starting · COL 112
24 colleges
Eugene, OR
$62K starting · COL 130
14 colleges
Salem, OR
$58K starting · COL 120
14 colleges
Hillsboro, OR
$55K starting · COL 115.5
5 colleges
Bend, OR
$51K starting · COL 107
2 colleges
Beaverton, OR
$51K starting · COL 105.9
4 colleges
Medford, OR
$53K starting · COL 111
4 colleges
Springfield, OR
$58K starting · COL 120.3
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Gresham
Prompt Engineering
$55K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$105K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$94K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$97K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$90K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$55K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$88K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$55K starting · 3 yr ROI
Biology Degree in Gresham — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Biology ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Gresham.