College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2025 Best General Biology Schools in North Carolina

30 Colleges in North Carolina
3,643 Biology Degrees Awarded
$33,813 Avg Early-Career Salary
General Biology is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #5 most popular major in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 30 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best General Biology Schools in North Carolina ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 3,643 degrees in general biology annually.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great General Biology School

Best General Biology Schools in North Carolina The biology program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for General Biology rankings. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for general biology schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

General Biology Rankings by Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in Biology
Master's Degrees in Biology
Doctor's Degrees in Biology

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 the Best General Biology Schools in North Carolina. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

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

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for General Biology in North Carolina

The schools below may not offer all types of biology degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer.

10 Top North Carolina Schools in Biology

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
571 Biology Degrees Awarded
$33,471 Median Starting Salary

It is difficult to beat University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill if you wish to pursue a degree in general biology. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, UNC Chapel Hill is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #38 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UNC Chapel Hill is a great university overall.

There were about 571 general biology students who graduated with this degree at UNC Chapel Hill in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the biology program earn around $33,471 for their early career.

More information about a degree in general biology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, NC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
215 Biology Degrees Awarded
$30,447 Median Starting Salary

It is difficult to beat Duke University if you want to pursue a degree in general biology. Duke is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Durham. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

There were approximately 215 general biology students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the biology program report average early career income of $30,447.

More information about a degree in general biology from Duke University

3
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
420 Biology Degrees Awarded
5.0% Growth in Graduates

North Carolina State University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in general biology. Located in the city of Raleigh, NC State is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #122 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means NC State is a great university overall.

There were approximately 420 general biology students who graduated with this degree at NC State in the most recent data year. General Biology degree recipients from North Carolina State University earn a boost of around $2,344 over the average income of general biology majors.

More information about a degree in general biology from North Carolina State University

4
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
152 Biology Degrees Awarded
$36,650 Median Starting Salary

Wake Forest University is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in general biology. Located in the large city of Winston-Salem, Wake Forest University is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #76 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Wake Forest University is a great university overall.

There were about 152 general biology students who graduated with this degree at Wake Forest University in the most recent year we have data available. Those general biology students who get their degree from Wake Forest University earn $2,837 more than the standard biology student.

More information about a degree in general biology from Wake Forest University

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
291 Biology Degrees Awarded
4.5% Growth in Graduates

UNC Charlotte is a very large public university located in the large city of Charlotte. A Best Colleges rank of #367 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UNC Charlotte is a great university overall.

There were roughly 291 general biology students who graduated with this degree at UNC Charlotte in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the biology program earn an average of $34,094 for their early career.

More information about a degree in general biology from University of North Carolina at Charlotte

6
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
224 Biology Degrees Awarded
$38,992 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Greenville, ECU is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #275 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means ECU is a great university overall.

There were about 224 general biology students who graduated with this degree at ECU in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the general biology program at East Carolina University get $5,179 more than the standard college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in general biology from East Carolina University

7
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
189 Biology Degrees Awarded
$32,925 Median Starting Salary

UNCW is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Wilmington. A Best Colleges rank of #415 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UNCW is a great university overall.

There were roughly 189 general biology students who graduated with this degree at UNCW in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the biology program state that they receive average early career income of $32,925.

More information about a degree in general biology from University of North Carolina at Wilmington

8
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
182 Biology Degrees Awarded
5.5% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Greensboro, UNC Greensboro is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #549 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UNC Greensboro is a great university overall.

There were about 182 general biology students who graduated with this degree at UNC Greensboro in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the biology program state that they receive average early career earnings of $31,922.

More information about a degree in general biology from University of North Carolina at Greensboro

9
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
169 Biology Degrees Awarded
5.3% Growth in Graduates

Appalachian State is a very large public university located in the town of Boone. A Best Colleges rank of #401 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Appalachian State is a great university overall.

There were roughly 169 general biology students who graduated with this degree at Appalachian State in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, biology degree recipients typically earn around $30,025 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in general biology from Appalachian State University

10
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$32,683 Median Starting Salary

Elon is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Elon. A Best Colleges rank of #190 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Elon is a great university overall.

There were roughly 29 general biology students who graduated with this degree at Elon in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the biology program make around $32,683 for their early career.

More information about a degree in general biology from Elon University

Best General Biology Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best General Biology Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Georgia 287 3,494
Florida 282 6,422
Virginia 274 3,356
Tennessee 269 1,542
South Carolina 248 1,775
Kentucky 244 1,140
Louisiana 242 1,529
Mississippi 234 1,380
Arkansas 234 891
Alabama 233 1,939
West Virginia 207 526

View All Rankings >

One of 14 majors within the Biological & Biomedical Sciences area of study, General Biology has other similar majors worth exploring.

Biology Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Biology Studies 3,448
General Biomedical Sciences 195

View All Biology Concentrations >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Biotechnology 1,235
Physiology & Pathology Sciences 479
Neurobiology & Neurosciences 306
Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology 274
Biomathematics & Bioinformatics 174
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology 165
Zoology 139
Microbiological Sciences & Immunology 123
Genetics 92
Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences 85

View All Biology Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options