MAJORS · 57 OF 115 SUBFIELDS BY ROI
Is a biochemistry & molecular biology degree worth it?
Part of Life Sciences and Biology — see the whole category’s numbers.
On average, yes — the mean lifetime ROI is +$251,783. But the spread is the real story.
MEAN LIFETIME ROI · FREOPP 2021 · COHORT-WEIGHTED
+$251,783
across 171 bachelor’s programs · 8,947 graduates
MEDIAN GRADUATE
+$262K
MIDDLE 50% LAND BETWEEN
+$64K ⟷ +$439K
NEVER BREAK EVEN
17.2%
MEDIAN PROGRAM-ESTIMATED BREAK-EVEN AGE
35
Among programs that break even; weighted by graduate cohorts. These are program estimates, not tracked individual graduate outcomes.
ADJUSTED FOR REAL COMPLETION RATES
+$152K
IF YOU DROP OUT
−$114K
Questions
- Is a biochemistry & molecular biology degree worth it?
- On average yes — across 171 U.S. bachelor’s programs (FREOPP 2021, cohort-weighted), the mean lifetime ROI for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology is +$251,783 and the median is +$261,556. 17.2% of graduate cohort weight with reported break-even data is in programs flagged as never breaking even. The honest answer depends heavily on the specific program and school: the middle half of graduates land between +$63,899 and +$438,694.
- How long until a biochemistry & molecular biology degree pays off?
- For Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Among programs that break even, the median program-estimated break-even age, weighted by graduate cohorts, is 35. 17.2% of graduate cohort weight with reported break-even data is in programs flagged as never breaking even. FREOPP 2021.
- Does the school matter for a biochemistry & molecular biology major?
- Enormously. The middle 50% of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology graduates span +$63,899 to +$438,694 — a +$375K spread within one major. The same field can be a strong trade at one school and a losing one at another, which is why the per-school number matters more than the field average.
↓ Download the data (CSV) · All 115 subfields with full statistics. Free to cite with attribution. · Methodology
Cite this:
LE TEEN (2026). “Biochemistry & Molecular Biology: lifetime ROI statistics.” Data: FREOPP 2021. https://le-teen.com/majors/biochemistry-and-molecular-biology