Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

150 Ranked Colleges
10,923 Degrees Awarded
$9,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 the Great Lakes region, there were 12,471 general biology graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,353 and $25,097 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 10,923 general biology graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 150 colleges that offer a degree in general biology. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general biology programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the general biology program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. 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 the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Biology (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 91 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern University is $3,995 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Read full report on General Biology at Northwestern University

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 147 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $2,800 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Chicago.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at University of Chicago

Out of the 150 schools in the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #3 spot on the list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s biology degrees to 376 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $6,860 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at UW - Madison

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s biology degrees to 178 students in 2019-2020.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $5,887 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend U-M.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full U-M General Biology Report

#5

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 101 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue is $5,879 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Biology at Purdue

With a ranking of #6, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 262 degrees to qualified bachelors’s biology students in 2019-2020.

UW - La Crosse did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $9,795 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - La Crosse.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Wisconsin - La Crosse General Biology Report

#7

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Notre Dame, Indiana, and it awarded 76 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Notre Dame, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,609 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Notre Dame.

The low student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 Notre Dame

#8

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s biology degrees to 268 students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $6,192 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend IU Bloomington.

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%. 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 more about General Biology at Indiana University - Bloomington

Indiana University - Northwest landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. IU Northwest is a small school located in Gary, Indiana that handed out 22 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for IU Northwest is $4,960 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about General Biology at Indiana University - Northwest

Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 506 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also made our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $10,037 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Biology at Ohio State University - Main Campus

#11

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - River Falls ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 89 bachelors’s biology degrees to qualified students.

UW - River Falls not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $10,124 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - River Falls.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at University of Wisconsin - River Falls

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. IUPUI is a large school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 137 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $6,315 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full IUPUI General Biology Report

#13

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana

Purdue University Northwest came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Purdue Northwest is a medium-sized school located in Hammond, Indiana that handed out 76 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Purdue Northwest is $8,401 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about General Biology at Purdue Northwest

#14

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Platteville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Platteville, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s biology degrees to 81 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UW - Platteville is in the top on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Platteville is $12,930 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Platteville General Biology Report

#15

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan

Grand Valley State University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Allendale, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s biology degrees to 327 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $30-$48k list, GVSU has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend GVSU is $12,459 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Read more about General Biology at Grand Valley State University

#16

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 99 bachelors’s biology degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $11,433 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Stevens Point.

Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point General Biology Report

#17

University of Detroit Mercy

Detroit, Michigan

University of Detroit Mercy did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Detroit, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 92 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s biology students in 2019-2020.

Detroit Mercy also made our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Detroit Mercy is $15,023 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read more about General Biology at University of Detroit Mercy

#18

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UW - Whitewater is a fairly large school located in Whitewater, Wisconsin that handed out 101 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UW - Whitewater is also in the top of our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $12,156 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about General Biology at UW - Whitewater

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s biology degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $8,464 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign General Biology Report

With a ranking of #19, Michigan Technological University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Houghton, Michigan, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,049 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Michigan Tech.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 Michigan Technological University General Biology Report

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is a public institution located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 95 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,114 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh.

Full UW Oshkosh General Biology Report

#22

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

University of Illinois at Springfield ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UIS is a small public school situated in Springfield, Illinois. It awarded 27 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,323 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Illinois at Springfield.

Full UIS General Biology Report

#23

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. Green Bay, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s biology degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is $11,641 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on General Biology at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

#24

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UW - Eau Claire is a fairly large public school situated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It awarded 119 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,828 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire.

Read more about General Biology at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Edwardsville, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s biology degrees to 134 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,938 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Full SIUE General Biology Report

Switch to a Similar Major

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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.

Featured Biology Schools

Find Schools Near You