2023 Best Value Colleges for General Biology in the Great Lakes Region
132
Ranked Colleges
12,616
Degrees Awarded
$14,900
Avg Net Price*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
With 107,165 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, general biology is the 5th most popular major in the United States. In 2019-2020, general biology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $28,334 and had an average of $23,818 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 12,616 general biology graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,013 and $25,277 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, we looked at 132 colleges that offer a degree in general biology. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general biology programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general biology program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
The biology school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region”.
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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Biology in the Great Lakes Region
Out of the 132 schools in the Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is a public institution located in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 264 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - La Crosse also took the #14 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,654 for great lakes region biology students per year to attend UW - La Crosse.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about General Biology at UW - La Crosse
Out of the 132 schools in the Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Grand Valley State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Allendale, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 373 students in 2020-2021.
GVSU also made our “Best General Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for Grand Valley State University is $17,356 for Great Lakes Region Biology 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%.
Full GVSU General Biology Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - River Falls is a medium-sized public school situated in River Falls, Wisconsin. It awarded 77 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UW - River Falls also did well on our “Best General Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $13,844 for Great Lakes Region Biology students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on General Biology at University of Wisconsin - River Falls
Out of the 132 schools in the Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a public institution located in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 108 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $14,417 for Great Lakes Region Biology students.
Read full report on General Biology at UW - Whitewater
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Youngstown State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region. Youngstown State University is located in Youngstown, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 112 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Youngstown State University is $12,225 for great lakes region biology students.
Full Youngstown State University General Biology Report
With a ranking of #6, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Edwardsville, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 162 students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for SIUE is $14,462 for great lakes region biology students.
Read more about General Biology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is a medium-sized school located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin that handed out 92 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $13,346 for great lakes region biology students per year to attend UW - Stevens Point.
Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point General Biology Report
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is a fairly large school located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin that handed out 99 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UW Oshkosh is $14,687 for Great Lakes Region Biology students.
Full UW Oshkosh General Biology Report
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is a fairly large school located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin that handed out 110 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UW - Eau Claire is $16,051 for great lakes region biology students.
Read more about General Biology at UW - Eau Claire
Western Michigan University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. WMU is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 155 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at WMU, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Western Michigan University is $20,371 for Great Lakes Region Biology students.
Read more about General Biology at Western Michigan University
Northern Illinois University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #11. Dekalb, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 90 students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $13,956 for great lakes region biology students.
Full NIU General Biology Report
Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Purdue University - Main Campus is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 251 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Purdue also took the #3 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $13,377 for great lakes region biology students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Purdue General Biology Report
University of Akron Main Campus landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Akron, Ohio that handed out 108 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $17,945 for Great Lakes Region Biology students per year to attend University of Akron Main Campus.
Full University of Akron Main Campus General Biology Report
Purdue University Northwest landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Hammond, Indiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 71 students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $11,384 for Great Lakes Region Biology students per year to attend Purdue Northwest.
Read full report on General Biology at Purdue Northwest
University of Wisconsin - Platteville came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Platteville, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 64 diplomas to qualified ’s biology students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $14,565 for great lakes region biology students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville.
Full UW - Platteville General Biology Report
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UW - Green Bay is a medium-sized public school situated in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It awarded 39 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is $13,092 for Great Lakes Region Biology students.
Full University of Wisconsin - Green Bay General Biology Report
Mott Community College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. Flint, Michigan is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 81 students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Mott Community College is $6,813 for great lakes region biology students.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full MCC General Biology Report
With a ranking of #18, Illinois State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Illinois State is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 143 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois State, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $20,830 for great lakes region biology students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.
Read full report on General Biology at Illinois State
With a ranking of #19, University of Wisconsin - Parkside did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - Parkside is a public institution located in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 36 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UW - Parkside is $11,082 for Great Lakes Region Biology students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% 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 General Biology at University of Wisconsin - Parkside
With a ranking of #20, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized school located in Macomb, Illinois that handed out 73 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $15,305 for Great Lakes Region Biology students per year to attend Western Illinois University.
Full WIU General Biology Report
Central Michigan University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Central Michigan University is a public institution located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 16 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Central Michigan is $16,007 for Great Lakes Region Biology students.
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%.
Read full report on General Biology at Central Michigan University
With a ranking of #22, Eastern Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Eastern Michigan University is located in Ypsilanti, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 87 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Michigan University is $15,127 for Great Lakes Region Biology students.
Read full report on General Biology at Eastern Michigan University
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #23. UC is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 258 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is $22,415 for great lakes region biology students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.
Read more about General Biology at UC
Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #24. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 58 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $16,285 for Great Lakes Region Biology students per year to attend SIUC.
Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale General Biology Report
University of Wisconsin - Superior came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Wisconsin - Superior is a small public school situated in Superior, Wisconsin. It awarded 29 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $14,084 for great lakes region biology students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Superior.
Full UW - Superior General Biology Report
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