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2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major

1,753 Ranked Colleges
107,165 Degrees Awarded
$21,000 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major” ranking, we looked at 1,753 colleges that offer a degree in general biology. That schools that top this list have a program in general biology in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for biology students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for General Biology

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1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at City of Hope. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major. Duarte, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s biology degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Biology at Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at City of Hope

3
Rockefeller University crest
Rockefeller University
New York, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rockefeller University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major list. Rockefeller University is a small school located in New York, New York that handed out 33 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Biology at Rockefeller University

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major list. Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine is a private not-for-profit institution located in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 83 ’s 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. The undergrad 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 more about General Biology at Geisinger Commonwealth

5

Out of the 1,753 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Texas Health Science Center landed the #5 spot on the list. University of North Texas Health Science Center is a public institution located in Fort Worth, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 280 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full University of North Texas Health Science Center General Biology Report

6
Bluefield College crest
Bluefield College
Bluefield, Virginia

Bluefield College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking. Located in Bluefield, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 113 degrees to qualified ’s biology students in 2020-2021.

Full Bluefield College General Biology Report

7

Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico - Arecibo did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Arecibo, , this small private not-for-profit school handed out 37 degrees to qualified ’s biology students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Biology at Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico - Arecibo

8

With a ranking of #8, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major list. Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences is located in Kansas City, Missouri and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 90 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 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 KCU - Kansas City

9
Bryn Athyn College crest
Bryn Athyn College of the New Church
Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania

Bryn Athyn College of the New Church did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking, coming in at #9. Bryn Athyn College of the New Church is a small school located in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania that handed out 17 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate 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.

Read full report on General Biology at Bryn Athyn College

10
Rust College crest
Rust College
Holly Springs, Mississippi

With a ranking of #10, Rust College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major list. Rust College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Holly Springs, Mississippi. It awarded 25 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Rust College General Biology Report

11
Centenary Louisiana crest
Centenary College of Louisiana
Shreveport, Louisiana

Centenary College of Louisiana came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking. Centenary College of Louisiana is located in Shreveport, Louisiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 37 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Centenary Louisiana General Biology Report

12
Union College crest
Union College Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska

Union College Nebraska landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking. Union College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The school has a small population, and it awarded 54 ’s degrees 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 low undergrad 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%.

Read full report on General Biology at Union College

13
XULA crest
Xavier University of Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana

Xavier University of Louisiana came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking. Located in New Orleans, Louisiana, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 120 degrees to qualified ’s biology students in 2020-2021.

Full Xavier University of Louisiana General Biology Report

14
Alice Lloyd crest
Alice Lloyd College
Pippa Passes, Kentucky

Alice Lloyd College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking, coming in at #14. Alice Lloyd is a small school located in Pippa Passes, Kentucky that handed out 15 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Biology at Alice Lloyd College

15
Harris - Stowe State University crest
Harris - Stowe State University
Saint Louis, Missouri

With a ranking of #15, Harris - Stowe State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major list. Harris - Stowe State University is a small public school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 40 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Harris - Stowe State University General Biology Report

16

With a ranking of #16, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major list. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is a small school located in New York, New York that handed out 63 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Biology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

17
PC crest
Presbyterian College
Clinton, South Carolina

Presbyterian College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking, coming in at #17. Presbyterian College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Clinton, South Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 44 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Read more about General Biology at PC

18

University of Puerto Rico - Cayey did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Cayey, , this small public school awarded 99 degrees to qualified ’s biology students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Biology at UPR Cayey

19

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking. Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is a small public school situated in Cheyney, Pennsylvania. It awarded 19 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Biology at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

20
Fisk crest
Fisk University
Nashville, Tennessee

Fisk University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking. Fisk is a small school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 20 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Biology at Fisk University

21
Bennett crest
Bennett College
Greensboro, North Carolina

Bennett College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking, coming in at #21. Bennett College is located in Greensboro, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 Bennett

22

Inter American University of Puerto Rico - San German ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major list. Inter American University of Puerto Rico - San German is a small school located in San German, that handed out 122 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad 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%.

Read full report on General Biology at Inter American University of Puerto Rico - San German

23
Alcorn State crest
Alcorn State University
Alcorn State, Mississippi

Alcorn State University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking. Alcorn State is a small school located in Alcorn State, Mississippi that handed out 128 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Biology at Alcorn State

24

University of California - Merced came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking. Merced, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 360 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Merced General Biology Report

25

Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Fajardo did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major ranking, coming in at #25. Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Fajardo is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fajardo, . The school has a small population, and it awarded 47 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad 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 Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Fajardo General Biology Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

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28
Medgar crest
Medgar Evers College
Brooklyn, New York
29
Erskine crest
Erskine College
Due West, South Carolina
30
Wofford crest
Wofford College
Spartanburg, South Carolina
31
Welch crest
Welch College
Gallatin, Tennessee
32
Philander Smith crest
Philander Smith College
Little Rock, Arkansas
33
Pitt Greensburg crest
University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
34
Stillman College crest
Stillman College
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
35
York College crest
York College
York, Nebraska
36
37
Rocky Vista University crest
Rocky Vista University
Parker, Colorado
38
K College crest
Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo, Michigan
39
Northland crest
Northland College
Ashland, Wisconsin
40
41
Randolph crest
Randolph College
Lynchburg, Virginia
42
Cumberland County College crest
Cumberland County College
Vineland, New Jersey
43
MC crest
Mississippi College
Clinton, Mississippi
44
Livingstone College crest
Livingstone College
Salisbury, North Carolina
45
Bethany College Kansas crest
Bethany College Kansas
Lindsborg, Kansas
46
Heritage University crest
Heritage University
Toppenish, Washington
47
Blackburn crest
Blackburn College
Carlinville, Illinois
48
West Liberty University crest
West Liberty University
West Liberty, West Virginia
49
Tougaloo crest
Tougaloo College
Tougaloo, Mississippi
50
Edward Waters College crest
Edward Waters College
Jacksonville, Florida

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 Spelman College Atlanta, GA
52 Oglethorpe University Atlanta, GA
53 Benedict College Columbia, SC
54 Miles College Fairfield, AL
54 University of South Carolina - Beaufort Bluffton, SC
56 Ursinus College Collegeville, PA
57 Millsaps College Jackson, MS
58 Lyon College Batesville, AR
59 Oakwood University Huntsville, AL
60 Albion College Albion, MI
61 Alabama A & M University Normal, AL
62 Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA
63 Randolph - Macon College Ashland, VA
64 Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wesson, MS
65 Ouachita Baptist University Arkadelphia, AR
Rank College Location
66 Rocky Mountain College Billings, MT
67 Eckerd College Saint Petersburg, FL
68 Juniata College Huntingdon, PA
69 Ottawa University - Surprise Surprise, AZ
70 Midwestern University - Downers Grove Downers Grove, IL
71 Louisburg College Louisburg, NC
72 Carroll College Helena, MT
73 St Mary’s College of Maryland St. Mary’s City, MD
74 University of Portland Portland, OR
75 Houghton College Houghton, NY
75 Hampden - Sydney College Hampden-Sydney, VA
77 Savannah State University Savannah, GA
78 Virginia Union University Richmond, VA
79 SUNY Geneseo Geneseo, NY
80 The College of Idaho Caldwell, ID
81 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Pine Bluff, AR
82 Emmanuel College Massachusetts Boston, MA
83 University of Puerto Rico - Humacao Humacao, PR
84 University of New Hampshire at Manchester Manchester, NH
85 Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science Los Angeles, CA
86 University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Chickasha, OK
86 Transylvania University Lexington, KY
88 Yuba College Marysville, CA
89 Davidson College Davidson, NC
90 Iowa Wesleyan University Mount Pleasant, IA
Rank College Location
91 Covenant College Lookout Mountain, GA
92 Morehouse College Atlanta, GA
93 Carleton College Northfield, MN
94 South Carolina State University Orangeburg, SC
95 Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Metro San Juan, PR
96 St Olaf College Northfield, MN
97 Chatham University Pittsburgh, PA
98 Knox College Galesburg, IL
99 Ottawa University - Ottawa Ottawa, KS
99 Little Priest Tribal College Winnebago, NE
101 Belmont Abbey College Belmont, NC
102 Augustana College Rock Island, IL
103 College of Saint Benedict Saint Joseph, MN
104 University of Holy Cross New Orleans, LA
105 Washington College Chestertown, MD
106 Elms College Chicopee, MA
107 Thomas University Thomasville, GA
108 University of Wisconsin - La Crosse La Crosse, WI
109 Susquehanna University Selinsgrove, PA
110 University of the Ozarks Clarksville, AR
111 Macalester College Saint Paul, MN
112 Whitman College Walla Walla, WA
113 Georgia Gwinnett College Lawrenceville, GA
114 University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras San Juan, PR
115 Allen University Columbia, SC
Rank College Location
115 Martin Methodist College Pulaski, TN
117 Clark Atlanta University Atlanta, GA
118 University of the Sciences Philadelphia, PA
119 Concordia College at Moorhead Moorhead, MN
120 Dillard University New Orleans, LA
121 Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, NE
122 Denison University Granville, OH
123 Rhodes College Memphis, TN
124 Whittier College Whittier, CA
125 West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley, WV
126 Tuskegee University Tuskegee, AL
127 Arizona Christian University Phoenix, AZ
128 University of South Florida - Main Campus Tampa, FL
129 Clovis Community College Fresno, CA
130 Hampton University Hampton, VA
131 Olivet College Olivet, MI
132 Francis Marion University Florence, SC
133 Eastern Oklahoma State College Wilburton, OK
134 Talladega College Talladega, AL
135 University of Maryland - Baltimore County Baltimore, MD
136 Midwestern University - Glendale Glendale, AZ
137 University of Pittsburgh - Bradford Bradford, PA
138 Howard University Washington, DC
139 Le Moyne - Owen College Memphis, TN
140 Cleveland University - Kansas City Overland Park, KS
Rank College Location
141 Mission College Santa Clara, CA
142 Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA
143 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center - El Paso El-Paso, TX
144 Virginia Military Institute Lexington, VA
145 Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Arecibo Arecibo, PR
146 Birmingham Southern College Birmingham, AL
146 Drury University Springfield, MO
148 Claflin University Orangeburg, SC
149 Rogers State University Claremore, OK
150 Wittenberg University Springfield, OH
151 Newman University Wichita, KS
152 Wells College Aurora, NY
153 University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, MI
154 Lane College Jackson, TN
155 Wartburg College Waverly, IA
156 Chowan University Murfreesboro, NC
157 Fort Valley State University Fort Valley, GA
158 University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA
159 Saint Michael’s College Colchester, VT
160 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX
161 Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Ponce Mercedita, PR
162 Meredith College Raleigh, NC
163 Jackson State University Jackson, MS
164 Saint Augustine’s University Raleigh, NC
164 Central Methodist University - College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Fayette, MO
Rank College Location
164 Texas College Tyler, TX
164 Lycoming College Williamsport, PA
168 Laney College Oakland, CA
169 Allegheny College Meadville, PA
170 Guilford College Greensboro, NC
171 Williams College Williamstown, MA
172 Saint Peter’s University Jersey City, NJ
173 Houston Community College Houston, TX
174 Bloomfield College Bloomfield, NJ
175 University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez Mayaguez, PR
176 Saint Norbert College De Pere, WI
177 Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL
178 Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City, NC
179 San Diego City College San Diego, CA
180 Fresno City College Fresno, CA
181 Voorhees College Denmark, SC
182 University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA
183 University of Nebraska at Kearney Kearney, NE
184 Western Colorado University Gunnison, CO
185 Saint Vincent College Latrobe, PA
186 University of Saint Katherine San Marcos, CA
187 New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro, NM
188 Delaware Valley University Doylestown, PA
189 Hanover College Hanover, IN
190 Sewanee - The University of the South Sewanee, TN
Rank College Location
191 Lincoln University Lincoln University, PA
192 Hood College Frederick, MD
193 Haverford College Haverford, PA
194 Southern California University of Health Sciences Whittier, CA
194 Grinnell College Grinnell, IA
196 Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Bayamon Bayamon, PR
197 Wiley College Marshall, TX
198 Reed College Portland, OR
199 Occidental College Los Angeles, CA
200 Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter, MN
201 University of New Orleans New Orleans, LA
202 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez Mayaguez, PR
203 Arcadia University Glenside, PA
204 Hiram College Hiram, OH
205 Saint Mary’s College Notre Dame, IN
206 University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown Johnstown, PA
207 Virginia State University Petersburg, VA
208 Carlow University Pittsburgh, PA
209 Dominican University of California San Rafael, CA
210 United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO
211 Centre College Danville, KY
212 Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA
213 Marian University Indianapolis, IN
214 Southern Adventist University Collegedale, TN
215 Le Moyne College Syracuse, NY
Rank College Location
216 Wingate University Wingate, NC
217 Roanoke College Salem, VA
218 Northwestern Health Sciences University Bloomington, MN
219 Catawba College Salisbury, NC
219 Newberry College Newberry, SC
221 Augustana University Sioux Falls, SD
222 Illinois College Jacksonville, IL
223 Central College Pella, IA
224 Truman State University Kirksville, MO
225 Hollins University Roanoke, VA
226 University of the Southwest Hobbs, NM
226 Beloit College Beloit, WI
228 Ripon College Ripon, WI
229 Berea College Berea, KY
230 Black Hills State University Spearfish, SD
231 Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Aguadilla Aguadilla, PR
232 Tabor College Hillsboro, KS
233 University of South Carolina - Aiken Aiken, SC
234 Luther College Decorah, IA
235 University of Minnesota - Duluth Duluth, MN
236 Dalton State College Dalton, GA
237 Humboldt State University Arcata, CA
238 Fort Lewis College Durango, CO
239 Westmont College Santa Barbara, CA
240 Winston - Salem State University Winston-Salem, NC
Rank College Location
241 Cottey College Nevada, MO
242 University of Pikeville Pikeville, KY
243 Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL
244 The City College of New York New York, NY
245 Tufts University Medford, MA
246 Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Beach, VA
247 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Philadelphia, PA
248 Huston - Tillotson University Austin, TX
249 Mott Community College Flint, MI
250 Adrian College Adrian, MI
251 University of Maryland Eastern Shore Princess Anne, MD
252 Mount Holyoke College South Hadley, MA
253 Georgetown College Georgetown, KY
254 Napa Valley College Napa, CA
255 San Bernardino Valley College San Bernardino, CA
256 Jarvis Christian College Hawkins, TX
257 New York Institute of Technology Old Westbury, NY
258 Marquette University Milwaukee, WI
259 University of Guam Mangilao, GU
260 Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA
261 Earlham College Richmond, IN
262 John Carroll University University Heights, OH
263 Brigham Young University - Hawaii Laie, HI
264 Westminster College Pennsylvania New Wilmington, PA

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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