Biology Degree in Peoria, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Biology degree analysis for Peoria, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$50K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$78K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.5 yrs
in Peoria
Cost of Living
104
index (100 = avg)
Biology in Peoria, IL Overview
While Peoria has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Biology students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $10,566/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 Peoria is approximately $49,920, growing to $78,000 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$8,032/yr
Private Tuition
$38,400/yr
Room & Board
$10,566/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,588/yr
Unemployment
5.6%
Graduation Rate
47%
Biology Salary in Peoria (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Peoria's cost of living index of 104 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Biology salary: $48,000 starting, $75,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Peoria adjustment factor: 1.04x based on the local cost of living index.
Biology ROI Calculator for Peoria
Estimate your return on investment for a Biology degree using local Peoria tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,032 | Private avg: $38,400
Peoria avg aid: $9,588/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$74,392
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,520
vs HS diploma in Peoria
ROI Payback Period
5.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Peoria
$341,608
Lifetime earnings premium ($416,000) minus total education cost ($74,392)
Student Loan Payoff for Biology in Peoria
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Peoria for Biology
Bradley University
private
$38,400/yr
$153,600 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Illinois Central College
$4,980/yr
Top Employers for Biology in Peoria
Peoria offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Peoria Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Biology Job Titles
Biology in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$52K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Aurora, IL
$45K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$52K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$49K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$43K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Elgin, IL
$38K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$44K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$43K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Peoria
Prompt Engineering
$52K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$99K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$88K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$92K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$85K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$83K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Biology Degree in Peoria — 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 Peoria.