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2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k

29 Ranked Colleges
2,913 Degrees Awarded
$14,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor's in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

With 102,043 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, general biology is the 5th most popular major in the United States. In 2017-2018, general biology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $28,233 and had an average of $23,964 in loans still to pay off.

Across Virginia, there were 3,420 general biology graduates with average earnings and debt of $26,143 and $25,518 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,913 general biology graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 29 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general biology. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general biology programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the general biology program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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 for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most 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 for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Biology (Income $0-$30k) in Virginia

#1

Washington and Lee University

Lexington, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington and Lee University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Lexington, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s biology degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.

Washington and Lee did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. It costs about $1,612 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Washington and Lee University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Washington and Lee University General Biology Report

#2

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia

Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, William & Mary landed the #2 spot on the list. William & Mary is a medium-sized school located in Williamsburg, Virginia that handed out 137 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k list, William & Mary has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $4,711 for virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, 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 93%.

Read more about General Biology at William & Mary

#3

Virginia Military Institute

Lexington, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Virginia Military Institute. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. VMI is a small public school situated in Lexington, Virginia. It awarded 38 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at VMI, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for VMI is $8,789 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at Virginia Military Institute

#4

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, this large public school awarded 281 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s biology students in 2019-2020.

University of Virginia also made our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for University of Virginia is $8,882 for virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at University of Virginia - Main Campus

#5

University of Richmond

University of Richmond, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Richmond. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in University of Richmond, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 53 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s biology students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at URichmond, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. It costs about $9,112 for virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend URichmond.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The 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. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Biology at URichmond

#6

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Virginia Tech is a large school located in Blacksburg, Virginia that handed out 309 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

Virginia Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $11,138 for virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Virginia Tech General Biology Report

#7

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. JMU is a large school located in Harrisonburg, Virginia that handed out 197 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at JMU, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. It costs about $14,196 for virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend JMU.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full James Madison University General Biology Report

#8

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia

With a ranking of #8, George Mason University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. George Mason University is a large public school situated in Fairfax, Virginia. It awarded 266 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k list, GMU has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The yearly cost to attend GMU is $16,204 for virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at GMU

#9

University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #9, University of Mary Washington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. UMW is a public institution located in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 89 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMW, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Mary Washington is $12,988 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% 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%.

Full University of Mary Washington General Biology Report

#10

Radford University

Radford, Virginia

With a ranking of #10, Radford University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Radford University is a fairly large school located in Radford, Virginia that handed out 102 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Radford, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Radford University is $12,071 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about General Biology at Radford University

#11

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, Virginia

Virginia Commonwealth University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. VCU is a large school located in Richmond, Virginia that handed out 352 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

VCU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The estimated yearly cost for VCU is $16,768 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University

#12

Christopher Newport University

Newport News, Virginia

With a ranking of #12, Christopher Newport University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. CNU is located in Newport News, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 157 bachelors’s biology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k list, CNU has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Christopher Newport University is $16,529 for virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Biology at CNU

#13

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, Virginia

With a ranking of #13, Old Dominion University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Old Dominion is a large public school situated in Norfolk, Virginia. It awarded 203 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Old Dominion has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Old Dominion University is $12,017 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about General Biology at Old Dominion University

#14

Longwood University

Farmville, Virginia

Longwood University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Farmville, Virginia, this small public school awarded 51 degrees to qualified bachelors’s biology students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Longwood, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. It costs about $14,704 for virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Longwood.

Read more about General Biology at Longwood University

#15

Randolph - Macon College

Ashland, Virginia

Randolph - Macon College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Randolph - Macon is a small school located in Ashland, Virginia that handed out 54 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Randolph - Macon has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Randolph - Macon is $23,012 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Biology at Randolph - Macon

#16

Hollins University

Roanoke, Virginia

Hollins University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Hollins is a small school located in Roanoke, Virginia that handed out 16 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Hollins University is $15,824 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 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.

Read more about General Biology at Hollins University

#17

Randolph College

Lynchburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #17, Randolph College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Lynchburg, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s biology degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

Randolph also made our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #18. It costs about $16,205 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Randolph College.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Randolph College General Biology Report

#18

Bridgewater College

Bridgewater, Virginia

With a ranking of #18, Bridgewater College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Bridgewater College is located in Bridgewater, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 32 bachelors’s biology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Bridgewater has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. It costs about $14,220 for virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Bridgewater College.

Read more about General Biology at Bridgewater College

#19

Roanoke College

Salem, Virginia

Roanoke College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Roanoke is a private not-for-profit institution located in Salem, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 36 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Roanoke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The estimated yearly cost for Roanoke College is $17,473 for virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Roanoke General Biology Report

#20

Virginia State University

Petersburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #20, Virginia State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Virginia State University is a small school located in Petersburg, Virginia that handed out 46 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Virginia State is $15,586 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on General Biology at Virginia State University

#21

Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar, Virginia

With a ranking of #21, Sweet Briar College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Sweet Briar College is a small school located in Sweet Briar, Virginia that handed out 11 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

Sweet Briar also took the #14 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. It costs about $20,529 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Sweet Briar College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Sweet Briar General Biology Report

#22

University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg, Virginia

University of Lynchburg came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Lynchburg is located in Lynchburg, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 36 bachelors’s biology degrees to qualified students.

Lynchburg did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. It costs about $19,128 for virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Lynchburg.

The 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.

Read full report on General Biology at University of Lynchburg

#23

Marymount University

Arlington, Virginia

Marymount University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Arlington, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s biology students in 2019-2020.

Marymount did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The estimated yearly cost for Marymount is $22,212 for virginia bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at Marymount

#24

Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Wesleyan University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 22 degrees to qualified bachelors’s biology students in 2019-2020.

VWU also made our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Wesleyan University is $20,816 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full VWU General Biology Report

#25

Virginia Union University

Richmond, Virginia

Virginia Union University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Richmond, Virginia, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Union University is $20,636 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about General Biology at VUU

Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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