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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Biology (Income $0-$30k) in Iowa

18 Ranked Colleges
881 Degrees Awarded
$17,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor's in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 102,043 general biology students received their degree, making the major the 5th most popular in the country. 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 Iowa, there were 936 general biology graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,291 and $24,580 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 881 general biology graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,922 and $25,876 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 18 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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.

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

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 18 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Biology (Income $0-$30k) in Iowa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 190 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa State also took the #4 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $10,054 for iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Iowa State.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Biology at Iowa State

#2

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Northern Iowa. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k. UNI is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 90 bachelors’s biology degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNI, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $10,757 for iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Northern Iowa.

The low 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on General Biology at UNI

#3

Grinnell College

Grinnell, Iowa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Grinnell College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Grinnell, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 41 degrees to qualified bachelors’s biology students in 2019-2020.

Grinnell also took the #1 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $11,945 for iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Grinnell.

The low student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on General Biology at Grinnell

#4

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 123 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa is $12,975 for iowa 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 88%. 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 University of Iowa General Biology Report

#5

Central College

Pella, Iowa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Central College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k. Central is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pella, Iowa. It awarded 36 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

Central also made our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $19,172 for iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Central College.

The low 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%.

Full Central College General Biology Report

#6

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Coe College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cedar Rapids, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s biology degrees to 46 students in 2019-2020.

Coe did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $14,590 for iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Coe College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Biology at Coe

#7

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, Iowa

With a ranking of #7, Buena Vista University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. BVU is located in Storm Lake, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s biology degrees to qualified students.

BVU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Buena Vista University is $14,210 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive 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.

Full BVU General Biology Report

#8

Wartburg College

Waverly, Iowa

Wartburg College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Wartburg is a private not-for-profit institution located in Waverly, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 41 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wartburg also made our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $16,334 for iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wartburg.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Wartburg General Biology Report

#9

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Mount Mercy University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Cedar Rapids, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s biology degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

Mount Mercy also took the #8 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $13,992 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Mount Mercy University.

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

Read full report on General Biology at Mount Mercy

#10

Dordt University

Sioux Center, Iowa

Dordt University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Dordt is a private not-for-profit institution located in Sioux Center, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Dordt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Dordt University is $24,967 for iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at Dordt University

#11

Grand View University

Des Moines, Iowa

Grand View University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Des Moines, Iowa, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

Grand View University also took the #13 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $18,481 for iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Grand View University.

Read more about General Biology at Grand View University

#12

Cornell College

Mount Vernon, Iowa

Cornell College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Mount Vernon, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s biology degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

Cornell College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Cornell College is $20,458 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Full Cornell College General Biology Report

Graceland University - Lamoni did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Graceland Lamoni is located in Lamoni, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s biology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Graceland Lamoni has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $15,015 for iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Graceland University - Lamoni.

Full Graceland Lamoni General Biology Report

#14

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, Iowa

Saint Ambrose University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. St. Ambrose University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Davenport, Iowa. It awarded 27 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Ambrose University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend St. Ambrose University is $23,977 for iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full St. Ambrose University General Biology Report

#15

Luther College

Decorah, Iowa

With a ranking of #15, Luther College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Luther is a small school located in Decorah, Iowa that handed out 41 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

Luther not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $16,636 for iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Luther College.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 Luther General Biology Report

#16

Morningside College

Sioux City, Iowa

Morningside College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Morningside College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Sioux City, Iowa. It awarded 37 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

Morningside not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Morningside College is $19,805 for iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about General Biology at Morningside College

#17

Drake University

Des Moines, Iowa

Drake University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Drake University is a small school located in Des Moines, Iowa that handed out 18 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Drake has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $25,212 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Drake University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Drake General Biology Report

#18

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, Iowa

Upper Iowa University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. Fayette, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s biology degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

UIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The estimated yearly cost for Upper Iowa University is $21,427 for iowa bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on General Biology at Upper Iowa University

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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