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2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

78 Ranked Colleges
6,642 Degrees Awarded
$10,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States 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 has developed its “Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” 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.

Across the Plains States region, there were 6,642 general biology graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,028 and $24,478 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 78 colleges that offered a degree in general biology. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general biology programs, but they also cost less that 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 “Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Biology (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

1
WUSTL crest
Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington University in St Louis. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Washington University in St Louis is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 137 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

WUSTL also made our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for WUSTL is $2,446 for Plains States Region Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Biology at Washington University in St Louis

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 361 students in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMN Twin Cities is $8,609 for Plains States Region Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Read more about General Biology at UMN Twin Cities

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Morris. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Morris, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 43 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Morris is $2,230 for Plains States Region Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Minnesota - Morris General Biology Report

4
Carleton crest
Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carleton College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Carleton College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northfield, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 53 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Carleton, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Carleton is $13,410 for plains states region 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. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad 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 Carleton

5

Out of the 78 schools in the Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Minnesota - Duluth is located in Duluth, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 178 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Duluth, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Duluth is $8,697 for plains states region biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Minnesota - Duluth General Biology Report

6
Truman State crest
Truman State University
Kirksville, Missouri

Truman State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Truman State University is a small public school situated in Kirksville, Missouri. It awarded 94 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

Truman State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Truman State University is $8,898 for plains states region biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Biology at Truman State University

7
UMSL crest
University of Missouri - St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. University of Missouri - St Louis is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 91 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - St Louis is $8,324 for Plains States Region Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UMSL General Biology Report

8

Iowa State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 198 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State is $11,427 for Plains States Region Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at Iowa State University

9

University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. University of Missouri - Columbia is a public institution located in Columbia, Missouri. The school has a large population, and it awarded 206 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Mizzou also made our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - Columbia is $11,386 for plains states region biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on General Biology at University of Missouri - Columbia

10
St. Olaf crest
St Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota

St Olaf College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. St Olaf College is a small school located in Northfield, Minnesota that handed out 95 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

St. Olaf not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for St. Olaf is $11,138 for Plains States Region Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 St Olaf College

11
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of North Dakota came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of North Dakota is a fairly large school located in Grand Forks, North Dakota that handed out 105 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

UND also took the #15 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,151 for Plains States Region Biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of North Dakota.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%.

Full University of North Dakota General Biology Report

12
Macalester crest
Macalester College
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Macalester College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. Macalester is a small school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota that handed out 56 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

Macalester did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Macalester College is $10,543 for plains states region biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 0.2% 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 more about General Biology at Macalester

13

With a ranking of #13, North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Fargo, North Dakota, and it awarded 117 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

North Dakota State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $12,735 for Plains States Region Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Biology at North Dakota State University - Main Campus

14

University of Nebraska - Lincoln came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Lincoln, Nebraska is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 152 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNL, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,453 for plains states region biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Biology at UNL

15
UNI crest
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa

University of Northern Iowa did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. This medium-sized school is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and it awarded 91 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

UNI also made our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $13,175 for Plains States Region Biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UNI.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about General Biology at University of Northern Iowa

16

Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Rolla, Missouri, and it awarded 75 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology is $9,820 for plains states region biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 85%.

Read more about General Biology at Missouri University of Science and Technology

17
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 109 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Iowa is $15,508 for plains states region biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read full report on General Biology at Iowa

18
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

With a ranking of #18, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Saint Cloud State University is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. It awarded 85 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $10,825 for plains states region biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend St. Cloud State University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at St. Cloud State University

19

Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a public institution located in Mankato, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 99 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Minnesota State Mankato, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Mankato is $12,263 for Plains States Region Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Minnesota State Mankato General Biology Report

20

University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. UMKC is a fairly large public school situated in Kansas City, Missouri. It awarded 184 ’s biology degrees in 2020-2021.

UMKC also made our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $13,751 for Plains States Region Biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UMKC.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at University of Missouri - Kansas City

21

University of Nebraska at Omaha came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 126 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $11,294 for plains states region biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UNOMAHA.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at University of Nebraska at Omaha

22
Grinnell crest
Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa

Grinnell College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #22. Grinnell College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Grinnell, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 38 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region biology students whose families make $30-$48k list, Grinnell has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best General Biology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,671 for plains states region biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Grinnell College.

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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Biology at Grinnell

23
Southeast Missouri State University crest
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Cape Girardeau, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 110 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Southeast Missouri State University is $11,406 for Plains States Region Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about General Biology at Southeast Missouri State University

24

Fort Hays State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #24. Hays, Kansas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 70 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $10,847 for plains states region biology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Fort Hays State University.

Read more about General Biology at Fort Hays State University

25

Minnesota State University - Moorhead landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Biology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. MSU Moorhead is a public institution located in Moorhead, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 38 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Moorhead is $14,194 for Plains States Region Biology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Minnesota State University - Moorhead General Biology Report

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