Natural Sciences: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 30.18. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 191 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 20 | 822 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | $26,875 1 programs |
| Associate's degree | 45 | 889 | $28,703 | $48,630 | $10,500 2 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 98 | 836 | $39,088 | $57,935 | $24,500 13 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 17 | 69 | $48,559 | $64,321 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 4 | 14 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 4 | 10 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bossier Parish Community College LA · Public · 16 graduates measured | $27,521 | $42,053 | $12,000 |
| Lee College TX · Public · 27 graduates measured | $25,848 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temple University PA · Public · 23 graduates measured | $55,228 | Data unavailable | $31,000 |
| American Public University System WV · Private, for-profit · 29 graduates measured | $52,705 | Data unavailable | $28,797 |
| California State University-Los Angeles CA · Public · 64 graduates measured | $43,186 | Data unavailable | $13,500 |
| Kansas State University KS · Public · 35 graduates measured | $40,805 | $68,243 | $19,527 |
| Harrisburg University of Science and Technology PA · Private, nonprofit · 36 graduates measured | $38,655 | $38,323 | Data unavailable |
| Dominican University IL · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $34,968 | $56,555 | $26,671 |
| Loyola Marymount University CA · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $33,291 | $56,124 | $21,875 |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Metro PR · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $28,398 | $36,327 | $15,417 |
| University of Puerto Rico at Cayey PR · Public · 26 graduates measured | $21,287 | $42,313 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Natural Sciences
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural sciences managers | $167,220 | +8.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Life scientists, all other | $93,750 | +6.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Physical scientists, all other | $122,570 | +2.1% | Bachelor's degree |
| Postsecondary teachers, all other | $77,640 | +2.0% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (1)
- 30.1801 Natural Sciences