Just How Much Credence Should I Give to My Degree?

Are you 100% sure you want to work in a healthcare/life science role? People without graduate degrees are typically not compensated well in those kind of roles.

If compensation matters a lot to you, you need to open yourself up to different kinds of roles and do the necessary homework to be competitive for those jobs (management consulting, banking, technology, etc.) or you need to pursue a graduate degree.