Biology, General: Bridgewater State University vs Governors State University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Governors State University
University Park, IL
In-State
12.5x
$45,556 tuition
12.7x
$45,280 tuition
Out-of-State
8.2x
$70,116 tuition
12.7x
$45,280 tuition
$571,513 10-yr earnings · Public
$573,497 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Bridgewater State University Governors State University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 12.5x 12.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.2x 12.7x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $45,556 $45,280
Year 1 Earnings $44,626 $43,641
10-Year Earnings $572K $573K
Median Debt $23,250 $19,000
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 6.3 months 5.2 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 51/100 51/100

Both programs have high AI automation risk (40% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Biology, General graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Biology, General graduates.

Bridgewater State University Governors State University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $45,556 $45,280
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $70,116 $45,280
10-Year Projected Earnings $572K $573K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 12.5x 12.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.2x 12.7x
5-Year Salary Growth +39% +42%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Biology, General (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

Bridgewater State University Governors State University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $577K $572K $525K $579K $573K $526K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 12.7x 12.5x 11.5x 12.8x 12.7x 11.6x
DegreeWorth Score 52 51 47 52 51 47

For the full AI analysis of Biology, General career paths, see the Bridgewater State University or Governors State University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Biology, General graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$276
Governors State University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$985/yr
Bridgewater State University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
12.5x / 12.7x
Out-of-state: 8.2x / 12.7x

Career Paths

Biology, General graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Natural sciences managers $161,180 8,500 +3.7% 50%
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists $100,590 9,600 +8.7% 52%
Biological scientists, all other $93,330 4,800 +1.2% 49%
Life scientists, all other $87,800 400 +3.7% 0%
Biological science teachers, postsecondary $83,460 5,400 +7.3% 47%
Forensic science technicians $67,440 2,900 +12.8% 39%
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $64,580 66,200 -1.6% 33%
Biological technicians $52,000 9,100 +3.5% 42%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

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Biology, General Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Biology, General: Bridgewater State University or Governors State University?
Bridgewater State University scores 51/100 while Governors State University scores 51/100. Governors State University has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Biology, General?
Bridgewater State University has an in-state earnings multiple of 12.5x vs Governors State University's 12.7x. That means Governors State University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Bridgewater State University and Governors State University compare on Biology, General earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $44,626 at Bridgewater State University vs $43,641 at Governors State University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $571,513 vs $573,497 — a difference of $1,984.
How much does Biology, General cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $45,556 at Bridgewater State University and $45,280 at Governors State University. Median debt at graduation is $23,250 vs $19,000. Both programs lead to the same Biology, General career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.