by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.
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.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 239 colleges that offered a degree in general biology. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their general biology program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region”.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Kalamazoo College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Kalamazoo, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s biology degrees to 71 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 239 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Northland College landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Ashland, Wisconsin, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 20 degrees to qualified ’s biology students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Out of the 239 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Blackburn College landed the #3 spot on the list. This small school is located in Carlinville, Illinois, and it awarded 14 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Albion College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region. Albion, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s biology degrees to 45 students in 2020-2021.
Out of the 239 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Midwestern University - Downers Grove landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Downers Grove, Illinois, and it awarded 103 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on General Biology at Midwestern University - Downers Grove
Knox College ranked #6 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Knox College is a small school located in Galesburg, Illinois that handed out 32 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
With a ranking of #7, Augustana College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Rock Island, Illinois, and it awarded 91 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
With a ranking of #8, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - La Crosse is a fairly large school located in La Crosse, Wisconsin that handed out 264 ’s biology 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
With a ranking of #9, Denison University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Denison is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Granville, Ohio. It awarded 56 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%.
Olivet College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #10. Olivet, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s biology degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.
Wittenberg University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Springfield, Ohio, and it awarded 36 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #12, University of Detroit Mercy did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Detroit Mercy is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Detroit, Michigan. It awarded 141 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Biology at University of Detroit Mercy
Saint Norbert College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #13. Saint Norbert College is a private not-for-profit institution located in De Pere, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 44 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%.
Illinois Wesleyan University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #14. Illinois Wesleyan University is a small school located in Bloomington, Illinois that handed out 32 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Hanover College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Hanover College is a small school located in Hanover, Indiana that handed out 20 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Hiram College ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Hiram, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 17 diplomas to qualified ’s biology students in 2020-2021.
Saint Mary’s College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. Notre Dame, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s biology degrees to 31 students in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Marian University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Marian University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 78 ’s degrees 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%.
Illinois College ranked #19 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Illinois College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Jacksonville, Illinois. It awarded 21 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
Beloit College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Beloit is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Beloit, Wisconsin. It awarded 23 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #21, Ripon College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Ripon is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Ripon, Wisconsin. It awarded 14 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Loyola University Chicago ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s biology degrees to 380 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on General Biology at Loyola University Chicago
Mott Community College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. MCC is a medium-sized public school situated in Flint, Michigan. It awarded 81 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Adrian College landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Adrian, Michigan, and it awarded 30 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #25, Marquette University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Marquette University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 241 ’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%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Not only did these schools make the top 36 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
