Biology Degree in Medford, OR — Salary & ROI 2026
Biology degree analysis for Medford, 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 yrs
in Medford
Cost of Living
111
index (100 = avg)
Biology in Medford, OR Overview
While Medford has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Biology students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $14,881/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 Medford is approximately $53,280, growing to $83,250 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,326/yr
Private Tuition
$41,865/yr
Room & Board
$14,881/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,464/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
67%
Biology Salary in Medford (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Medford's cost of living index of 111 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Biology salary: $48,000 starting, $75,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Medford adjustment factor: 1.11x based on the local cost of living index.
Biology ROI Calculator for Medford
Estimate your return on investment for a Biology degree using local Medford tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,326 | Private avg: $41,865
Medford avg aid: $14,464/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$100,828
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$14,430
vs HS diploma in Medford
ROI Payback Period
7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Medford
$343,172
Lifetime earnings premium ($444,000) minus total education cost ($100,828)
Student Loan Payoff for Biology in Medford
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Medford for Biology
Southern Oregon University
public
$10,326/yr
$41,304 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Rogue Community College
$4,536/yr
Top Employers for Biology in Medford
Medford offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Medford 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
Gresham, OR
$53K starting · COL 110.2
5 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
Springfield, OR
$58K starting · COL 120.3
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Medford
Prompt Engineering
$56K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$105K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$94K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$98K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$91K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$89K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Biology Degree in Medford — 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 Medford.