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2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois

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Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2021-2022, 106,032 general biology students received their degree, making the major the 5th most popular in the country. In , general biology graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $28,339 and had an average of $23,597 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 2,773 general biology graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,289 and $25,465 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois” ranking, we looked at 52 colleges that offer a degree in general biology. That schools that top this list have a program in general biology in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

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 “Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois”.

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. 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.

Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois biology students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for General Biology in Illinois

1
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Blackburn College
Carlinville, Illinois

Out of the 52 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Blackburn College landed the #1 spot on the list. Blackburn College is located in Carlinville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 7 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about General Biology at Blackburn College

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Midwestern University - Downers Grove. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois. Midwestern University - Downers Grove is located in Downers Grove, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 90 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 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 Midwestern University - Downers Grove

3
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Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Knox College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois list. Knox College is a small school located in Galesburg, Illinois that handed out 24 ’s biology degrees in 2021-2022.

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 Knox College

4
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Augustana College
Rock Island, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Augustana College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois list. Located in Rock Island, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 78 diplomas to qualified ’s biology students in 2021-2022.

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

Full Augustana General Biology Report

5
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Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, Illinois

Out of the 52 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Illinois Wesleyan University landed the #5 spot on the list. Illinois Wesleyan is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bloomington, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about General Biology at Illinois Wesleyan University

6
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Illinois College
Jacksonville, Illinois

Illinois College landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Jacksonville, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 29 degrees to qualified ’s biology students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%.

Read full report on General Biology at Illinois College

7
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Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking. Loyola Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 372 ’s biology degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive undergrad 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 Loyola University Chicago

8
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East-West University
Chicago, Illinois

East-West University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s biology degrees to 2 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.9% 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 East - West University General Biology Report

9
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Saint Xavier University
Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #9. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s biology degrees to 53 students in 2021-2022.

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 full report on General Biology at Saint Xavier University

10
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Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 87 degrees to qualified ’s biology students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Roosevelt University General Biology Report

11
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Greenville University
Greenville, Illinois

With a ranking of #11, Greenville University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois list. Greenville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s biology degrees to 7 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Greenville General Biology Report

12

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 438 ’s biology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Biology at UIC

13
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Quincy University
Quincy, Illinois

Quincy University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #13. Quincy University is a small school located in Quincy, Illinois that handed out 23 ’s biology degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read more about General Biology at Quincy U

14

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking. SIUE is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 134 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%.

Full SIUE General Biology Report

15

National University of Health Sciences landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking. National College of Chiropractic is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lombard, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate 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 more about General Biology at National University of Health Sciences

16
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Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois list. Eastern Illinois University is a medium-sized school located in Charleston, Illinois that handed out 71 ’s biology degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full Eastern Illinois University General Biology Report

17

Northeastern Illinois University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s biology degrees to 70 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad 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%.

Read more about General Biology at Northeastern Illinois University

18
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Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wheaton, Illinois. It awarded 39 ’s biology degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Biology at Wheaton College Illinois

19
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North Park University
Chicago, Illinois

North Park University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 35 degrees to qualified ’s biology students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on General Biology at North Park University

20
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Millikin University
Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #20. Millikin is a private not-for-profit institution located in Decatur, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Biology at Millikin University

21
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Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois

Lake Forest College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #21. Lake Forest is located in Lake Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 40 ’s biology degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Biology at Lake Forest College

22

Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Macomb, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 50 diplomas to qualified ’s biology students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Biology at WIU

23
Eureka College crest
Eureka College
Eureka, Illinois

Eureka College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois list. Located in Eureka, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 4 degrees to qualified ’s biology students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%.

Read more about General Biology at Eureka College

24
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Chicago State University
Chicago, Illinois

Chicago State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking. Chicago State University is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 12 ’s biology degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full CSU General Biology Report

25
Elmhurst crest
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Biology Major in Illinois ranking. Elmhurst University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Elmhurst, Illinois. It awarded 42 ’s biology degrees in 2021-2022.

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 Elmhurst

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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