by our College Data Analytics TeamHere, you'll find out more about the major, including such details as the number of graduates, what degree levels are offered, ethnicity of students, average salaries, and more. We've also included details on how WKU ranks compared to other colleges offering a major in biology.
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The bachelor's program at WKU was ranked #378 on College Factual's Best Schools for biology list. It is also ranked #3 in Kentucky.
| Ranking Type | Rank |
|---|---|
| Best General Biology Master’s Degree Schools | 120 |
| Best General Biology Graduate Degree Schools | 148 |
| Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools | 365 |
| Best General Biology Schools | 378 |
During the 2021-2022 academic year, Western Kentucky University handed out 102 bachelor's degrees in general biology. This is a decrease of 13% over the previous year when 117 degrees were handed out.
In 2022, 12 students received their master’s degree in biology from WKU. This makes it the #135 most popular school for biology master’s degree candidates in the country.
Biology majors who earn their bachelor's degree from WKU go on to jobs where they make a median salary of $29,945 a year. Unfortunately, this is lower than the national average of $32,337 for all biology students.
While getting their bachelor's degree at WKU, biology students borrow a median amount of $22,195 in student loans. This is not too bad considering that the median debt load of all biology bachelor's degree recipients across the country is $27,650.
During the 2022-2023 academic year, part-time undergraduate students at WKU paid an average of $1,125 per credit hour if they came to the school from out-of-state. In-state students paid a discounted rate of $477 per credit hour. The average full-time tuition and fees for undergraduates are shown in the table below.
| In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $11,436 | $27,000 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| On Campus Room and Board | $12,043 | $12,043 |
| On Campus Other Expenses | $2,409 | $2,409 |
Learn more about WKU tuition and fees.
The biology program at WKU awarded 102 bachelor's degrees in 2021-2022. About 39% of these degrees went to men with the other 61% going to women.
The majority of bachelor's degree recipients in this major at WKU are white. In the most recent graduating class for which data is available, 83% of students fell into this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Western Kentucky University with a bachelor's in biology.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 9 |
| Black or African American | 1 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1 |
| White | 85 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 2 |
| Other Races | 4 |
Online degrees for the WKU biology bachelor’s degree program are not available at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the WKU Online Learning page.
Biology majors graduating with a master's degree from WKU make a median salary of $35,371 a year. This is less than what their typical peers from other schools make. Their median salary is $43,317.
During the 2021-2022 academic year, 12 biology majors earned their master's degree from WKU. Of these graduates, 25% were men and 75% were women.
The majority of the students with this major are white. About 83% of 2022 graduates were in this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Western Kentucky University with a master's in biology.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 0 |
| Black or African American | 0 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1 |
| White | 10 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 1 |
| Other Races | 0 |
Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the biology majors at Western Kentucky University.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology | 10 |
| Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology | 7 |
| Genetics | 3 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.