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2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

150 Ranked Colleges
10,923 Degrees Awarded
$28,059 Avg Salary
Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

With 102,043 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, general biology is the 5th most popular major in the United States. 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.

This year’s “Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 150 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the general biology program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank General Biology Schools

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 for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k”.

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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Biology (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 147 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k list, UChicago has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $7,934 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UChicago.

The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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.

Full UChicago General Biology Report

#2

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 91 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $6,452 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low 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%. 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read more about General Biology at Northwestern

#3

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 101 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue also made our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $9,654 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 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%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus General Biology Report

Out of the 150 schools in the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 376 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also took the #3 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $13,227 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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%.

Full UW - Madison General Biology Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. 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 also took the #6 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $10,028 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full U-M General Biology Report

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 262 bachelors’s biology degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - La Crosse, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $13,304 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 UW - La Crosse

#7

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Notre Dame is a fairly large school located in Notre Dame, Indiana that handed out 76 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k list, Notre Dame has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Notre Dame is $17,768 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

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 $48-$75k ranking. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 268 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also made our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $12,060 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Indiana University - Bloomington.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at IU Bloomington

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 506 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also took the #12 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,982 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.

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%.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus General Biology Report

Indiana University - Northwest came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Indiana University - Northwest is a small public school situated in Gary, Indiana. It awarded 22 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,473 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Indiana University - Northwest.

Read more about General Biology at IU Northwest

#11

University of Detroit Mercy

Detroit, Michigan

With a ranking of #11, University of Detroit Mercy did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Detroit, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 92 degrees to qualified bachelors’s biology students in 2019-2020.

Detroit Mercy not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Detroit Mercy is $17,242 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Biology at Detroit Mercy

#12

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - River Falls landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UW - River Falls is a medium-sized public school situated in River Falls, Wisconsin. It awarded 89 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - River Falls also made our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend UW - River Falls is $13,474 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 full report on General Biology at University of Wisconsin - River Falls

#13

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 $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. UW - Platteville is a medium-sized school located in Platteville, Wisconsin that handed out 81 bachelors’s biology degrees 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 yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville is $15,152 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full UW - Platteville General Biology Report

Michigan Technological University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. Michigan Technological University is a public institution located in Houghton, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Michigan Tech is $13,720 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, 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 86%.

Full Michigan Tech General Biology Report

#15

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana

With a ranking of #15, Purdue University Northwest did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Purdue University Northwest is a public institution located in Hammond, Indiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 76 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Purdue Northwest is $13,449 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about General Biology at Purdue University Northwest

University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #16. UIC is a large public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 409 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UIC also did well on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $13,683 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Illinois at Chicago.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 UIC General Biology Report

#16

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

With a ranking of #16, University of Illinois at Springfield did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Springfield, Illinois, this small public school awarded 27 degrees to qualified bachelors’s biology students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UIS is $11,857 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about General Biology at University of Illinois at Springfield

#18

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan

Grand Valley State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. 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.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GVSU, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for GVSU is $15,775 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low 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%.

Full Grand Valley State University General Biology Report

With a ranking of #19, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. 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 $15,236 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW Oshkosh.

Read full report on General Biology at University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

#20

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin, and it awarded 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 ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best General Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $14,941 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about General Biology at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 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 $48-$75k ranking. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $13,351 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full UIUC General Biology Report

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, this large public school awarded 137 degrees to qualified bachelors’s biology students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend IUPUI is $12,314 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about General Biology at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

#23

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #23, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UW - Green Bay is a medium-sized school located in Green Bay, Wisconsin that handed out 28 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is $14,584 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about General Biology at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

#24

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

With a ranking of #24, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northern Illinois University is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 116 bachelors’s biology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend NIU is $18,346 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about General Biology at Northern Illinois University

#25

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

With a ranking of #25, Oakland University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Biology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Oakland is a public institution located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 152 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Oakland University is $10,387 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree biology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Oakland General Biology Report

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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.

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