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2022 Best Value Colleges for General Biology (Income $0-$30k) in Massachusetts

39 Ranked Colleges
3,187 Degrees Awarded
$10,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k

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 “Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

General Biology is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 5th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 102,043 degrees were awarded to students with this major. 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 Massachusetts, there were 3,187 general biology graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,932 and $24,444 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 39 colleges that offered 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank General Biology Schools

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 “Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most 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.

Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Biology (Income $0-$30k) in Massachusetts

#1

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Out of the 39 schools in the Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 86 degrees to qualified ’s biology students in 2019-2020.

Harvard also took the #3 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Harvard is $2,973 for massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Harvard University General Biology Report

#2

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 80 ’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

MIT also took the #1 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MIT is $4,535 for Massachusetts Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

#3

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Out of the 39 schools in the Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Williams College landed the #3 spot on the list. This small school is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and it awarded 62 ’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Williams, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $2,498 for massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Williams College.

The 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 student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, 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 students.

Read more about General Biology at Williams College

#4

Amherst College

Amherst, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Amherst College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 25 degrees to qualified ’s biology students in 2019-2020.

Amherst also took the #13 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $6,079 for Massachusetts Biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Amherst College.

The low student loan default rate of 3.8% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Biology at Amherst

#5

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Out of the 39 schools in the Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Tufts University landed the #5 spot on the list. Tufts University is a fairly large school located in Medford, Massachusetts that handed out 285 ’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tufts, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $5,267 for massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Tufts.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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.

Read full report on General Biology at Tufts University

#6

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 218 degrees to qualified ’s biology students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Boston College, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $6,353 for massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Boston College.

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 low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%.

Read full report on General Biology at Boston College

#7

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #7, Northeastern University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s biology degrees to 111 students in 2019-2020.

Northeastern also made our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Northeastern is $10,239 for massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on General Biology at Northeastern University

#8

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #8, Wellesley College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wellesley is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wellesley, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 38 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wellesley also took the #15 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley is $8,785 for massachusetts 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. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low 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 full report on General Biology at Wellesley

#9

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Smith is located in Northampton, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 58 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.

Smith did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $6,075 for Massachusetts Biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Smith.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Smith General Biology Report

#10

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Boston University is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 148 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.

Boston U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $12,903 for massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Boston University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Boston U General Biology Report

#11

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, and it awarded 296 ’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst is $13,137 for Massachusetts Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at University of Massachusetts Amherst

#12

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. College of the Holy Cross is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 53 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.

Holy Cross did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for College of the Holy Cross is $15,036 for Massachusetts Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Full College of the Holy Cross General Biology Report

#13

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Waltham, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s biology degrees to 148 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brandeis, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brandeis is $13,567 for Massachusetts Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Brandeis University General Biology Report

#14

Holyoke Community College

Holyoke, Massachusetts

Holyoke Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Holyoke, Massachusetts, this small public school awarded 20 diplomas to qualified ’s biology students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Holyoke Community College is $6,366 for massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about General Biology at Holyoke Community College

#15

University of Massachusetts - Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Lowell landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Massachusetts - Lowell is a fairly large school located in Lowell, Massachusetts that handed out 154 ’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k list, UMass Lowell has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Lowell is $11,560 for massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low 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 full report on General Biology at University of Massachusetts - Lowell

#16

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, Massachusetts

Fitchburg State University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school handed out 51 degrees to qualified ’s biology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Fitchburg State has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $11,770 for Massachusetts Biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Fitchburg State.

Full Fitchburg State University General Biology Report

#17

Worcester State University

Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Worcester State is a public institution located in Worcester, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 59 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Worcester State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Worcester State University is $16,011 for Massachusetts Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on General Biology at Worcester State

#18

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts

Westfield State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Westfield, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school handed out 57 degrees to qualified ’s biology students in 2019-2020.

Westfield also made our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #25. It costs about $12,672 for massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Westfield.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%.

Full Westfield State University General Biology Report

#19

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #19, Mount Holyoke College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Mt. Holyoke is located in South Hadley, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 45 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.

Mt. Holyoke also took the #20 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mount Holyoke College is $12,063 for massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on General Biology at Mount Holyoke College

#20

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Bridgewater State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Bridgewater, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 74 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Bridgewater State University is $13,332 for Massachusetts Biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about General Biology at Bridgewater State University

#21

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

North Adams, Massachusetts

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. This small school is located in North Adams, Massachusetts, and it awarded 8 ’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,587 for Massachusetts Biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend MCLA.

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 more about General Biology at MCLA

#22

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Boston ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. UMass Boston is a public institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 187 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,859 for Massachusetts Biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMass Boston.

Read more about General Biology at University of Massachusetts - Boston

#23

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #23, Salem State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Salem, Massachusetts, and it awarded 73 ’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Salem State University is $14,593 for massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about General Biology at Salem State University

#24

Framingham State University

Framingham, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #24, Framingham State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Framingham, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 45 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,612 for Massachusetts Biology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Framingham State.

Read more about General Biology at Framingham State

#25

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth is located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 57 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth is $13,925 for massachusetts biology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about General Biology at University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

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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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