UTEP Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Bachelor's): Tuition, Graduate Salary, and Debt
- Bachelor's in Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
- Public university
- El Paso, TX
- About 45 graduates a year
College Scorecard June 2026 release · BLS wages May 2025
The short answer
UTEP biochemistry and molecular biology graduates earn less than graduates of most biochemistry and molecular biology programs nationally, $19,546 in their first year. Where this program stands out is debt. The typical graduate leaves with $16,322 in federal loans, less than at 88% of biochemistry and molecular biology programs in the country. Debt is low, but pay is also below the Texas median of $32,027.
How it compares
Each figure is the median for graduates of the program. The Texas and national columns are the medians across all biochemistry and molecular biology bachelor's programs that report the figure.
Five years out, UTEP graduates earn less than the national figure and about $2,976 less than the Texas median. Several Texas programs with higher debt show higher pay by the five-year mark.
Debt and first-year pay at every Texas biochemistry and molecular biology program
Programs in the upper left give graduates higher pay for less debt. Dashed lines mark the Texas medians.
Hover over or tap a dot to see the school. Only programs that report both earnings and debt are shown.
What graduates earn over time
Pay rises about 203% between the first and fifth year.
Year 1 and year 5 figures come from different graduating classes, so the growth rate is an estimate.
Paying back the loans
On a standard 10-year plan, the median debt means a payment of about $173 a month, or 10.6% of a graduate's typical monthly pay in the first year.
Where graduates work, and what the pay is worth
92% of graduates (22 of 24) were working in Texas one year after graduating. Prices in the El Paso area are about 10% below the national average, so a $19,546 salary here buys what about $21,739 buys in a typical US city.
Careers this field leads to
These are the jobs that the federal crosswalk from fields of study to occupations links to biochemistry and molecular biology, largest first. Pay is the median across all experience levels.
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
$80,470Median pay in Texas. 11,920 people work in this job in Texas. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 13% from 2025 to 2035, with about 10,500 openings a year. Typical education to start: doctoral or professional degree.
Natural Sciences Managers
$129,960Median pay in Texas. 7,470 people work in this job in Texas. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 9,200 openings a year. Typical education to start: bachelor's degree, plus 5 years or more of related work experience.
Biological Technicians
$50,130Median pay in Texas. 2,730 people work in this job in Texas. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 9,400 openings a year. Typical education to start: bachelor's degree.
Biochemists and Biophysicists
$97,510Median pay in Texas. 520 people work in this job in Texas. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 12% from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,900 openings a year. Typical education to start: doctoral or professional degree.
About UTEP
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ranks 36th of 39 bachelor's programs at UTEP by first-year earnings. The top three are Electrical Engineering ($74,285), Computer and Information Science ($73,311), and Nursing ($72,429).
Common questions
The median graduate earns $19,546 one year after graduating and $59,236 five years after. The median across biochemistry and molecular biology bachelor's programs in Texas is $32,027.
The median federal loan balance is $16,322, which ranks 2nd lowest of 9 biochemistry and molecular biology bachelor's programs in Texas. That works out to about $173 a month over 10 years.
It depends on your other options. Debt equals 84% of first-year earnings, against a national median of 57%. Compare the cost with other Texas programs before deciding.
Most do. 92% (22 of 24) were working in Texas one year after graduating.
About this data
- Earnings and debt only include students who received federal financial aid (grants or loans).
- Earnings only count graduates who were working and not enrolled in more school. Graduates who went straight to further study are not included.
- Debt only includes federal loans. Private loans and credit cards are not counted.
- Some schools with several campuses report one combined figure for all of them. We count each of those schools once, and leave them out of Texas comparisons when their main campus is in another state.
- Scorecard figures describe graduating classes from several years ago. BLS wages are from May 2025.
- School-level numbers like tuition, admission rate, and graduation rate are for the whole school, not the biochemistry and molecular biology program.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study and institution files, June 2026 release
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
- Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NCES, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, and IPEDS institution directory, 2024