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2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major

217 Ranked Colleges
3,911 Degrees Awarded
$33,500 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Biotech Major

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended Biotech Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Biotechnology is the 174th most popular major in the country with 3,911 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, biotechnology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $52,907 and had an average of $20,555 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Biotech Major” ranking analyzed 217 colleges that offered a degree in biotechnology. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular biotechnology programs in the United States.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Biotech Major” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Most Well Attended Biotech Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for biotech students.

1
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Johns Hopkins University. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Biotech Major. Johns Hopkins University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 395 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Biotechnology at Johns Hopkins

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Maryland Global Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Biotech Major. UMGC is a large school located in Adelphi, Maryland that handed out 136 ’s biotech degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Biotechnology at UMGC

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major list. This fairly large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 113 ’s biotech degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network Biotechnology Report

4
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Houston. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major list. UH is a large public school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 71 ’s biotech degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Biotechnology at UH

5

Out of the 217 schools in the Most Well Attended Biotech Major that were part of this year’s ranking, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Pomona, California, this large public school awarded 60 degrees to qualified ’s biotech students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Biotechnology at Cal Poly Pomona

6

California State University - San Marcos landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking. Located in San Marcos, California, this fairly large public school awarded 59 degrees to qualified ’s biotech students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Biotechnology at CSUSM

7

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking, coming in at #7. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biotech degrees to 50 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Biotechnology at UC Davis

8
UK crest
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

University of Kentucky landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking. University of Kentucky is a large public school situated in Lexington, Kentucky. It awarded 46 ’s biotech degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Biotechnology at University of Kentucky

9

With a ranking of #9, University of Alabama at Birmingham did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major list. University of Alabama at Birmingham is a large school located in Birmingham, Alabama that handed out 57 ’s biotech degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Biotechnology at University of Alabama at Birmingham

10

University of Central Florida did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Orlando, Florida, this large public school awarded 41 degrees to qualified ’s biotech students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Biotechnology at UCF

11
USFCA crest
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

University of San Francisco came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking. USFCA is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 39 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Biotechnology at USFCA

12
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking, coming in at #12. University of Pennsylvania is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 37 ’s biotech degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Biotechnology at UPenn

13

Brigham Young University - Provo came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking. BYU is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Provo, Utah. It awarded 35 ’s biotech degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Biotechnology at Brigham Young University - Provo

14
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

With a ranking of #14, Northwestern University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major list. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s biotech degrees to 35 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Biotechnology at Northwestern University

14
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #14, James Madison University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major list. Located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, this large public school awarded 34 degrees to qualified ’s biotech students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full JMU Biotechnology Report

16
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey

Rutgers University - New Brunswick came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking. Located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, this large public school handed out 32 degrees to qualified ’s biotech students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Rutgers New Brunswick Biotechnology Report

16
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York

New York University ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Biotech Major list. NYU is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 32 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full New York University Biotechnology Report

18
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking. NC State is a large school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 124 ’s biotech degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Biotechnology at North Carolina State University

18

With a ranking of #18, Columbia University in the City of New York did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major list. Columbia University in the City of New York is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 31 ’s biotech degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Columbia University in the City of New York Biotechnology Report

18

University of California - Irvine came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking. Located in Irvine, California, this large public school awarded 31 diplomas to qualified ’s biotech students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of California - Irvine Biotechnology Report

21
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking. Georgetown is located in Washington, District of Columbia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 30 ’s biotech degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Biotechnology at Georgetown University

22

University of Nevada - Reno did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking, coming in at #22. University of Nevada - Reno is a large public school situated in Reno, Nevada. It awarded 27 ’s biotech degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UNR Biotechnology Report

22

California State University - Channel Islands did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking, coming in at #22. This medium-sized school is located in Camarillo, California, and it awarded 27 ’s biotech degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Biotechnology at California State University - Channel Islands

24

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biotech degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Biotechnology at University of Wisconsin - Madison

25
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

Syracuse University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Biotech Major ranking, coming in at #25. Syracuse is located in Syracuse, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 ’s biotech degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Biotechnology at Syracuse University

Rest of the Best 35 in Most Well Attended Biotech Major

Not only did these schools make the top 35 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
26
26
Rush University crest
Rush University
Chicago, Illinois
29
Worcester State crest
Worcester State University
Worcester, Massachusetts
29
Ivy Tech Community College crest
Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, Indiana
31
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
31
33
33
Endicott crest
Endicott College
Beverly, Massachusetts
33

Notes and References

References

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