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Biology

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

Biology majors start with cells, evolution, genetics, and ecology, then take chemistry, organic chemistry, and often physics and math. Upper-level coursework branches out into specialties from molecular biology to ecology.

Labs are everywhere—you'll culture bacteria, dissect specimens, sequence DNA, and write reports. Most premed students major in biology, though it's far from the only option.

What you'll do after college

Grads work as lab technicians, research assistants, science writers, conservation workers, biotech employees, or healthcare professionals. A huge fraction continue to graduate or professional school in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, public health, pharmacy, or PhD programs.

Pay at the bachelor's level is modest, but advanced degrees open up much higher-paying research and clinical roles. The work tends to be hands-on and mission-driven.

Famous graduates

  • E.O. Wilson — Renowned biologist and ant researcher; B.S. in Biology from University of Alabama
  • Dexter Holland — Lead singer of The Offspring and virologist; B.S. in Biology from USC
  • Charles Henry Turner — Pioneering zoologist and entomologist who made major discoveries in animal behavior; B.S. in Biology from the University of Cincinnati

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$60,668
3,357
100–85%
$60,348
6,685
85–72%
$62,600
9,996
72–72%
$64,008
13,415
72–55%
$63,913
13,318
55–47%
$64,233
9,969
47–29%
$65,034
6,746
28–14%
$72,434
3,445
14–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted adjusted 5-year earnings

By SAT median

$54,557
2,605
400–1000
$59,403
5,254
1000–1080
$60,529
7,841
1080–1145
$63,322
10,395
1145–1240
$65,826
10,470
1240–1310
$67,750
8,013
1310–1405
$68,314
4,930
1405–1475
$73,407
2,716
1475–1600
Median SAT · bar = degree-weighted adjusted 5-year earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl 5yr Earn
Biology 1,255 74,383 32% / 68% 3% $62,484
Biology 1,219 66,637 32% / 68% 2% $62,228
Biological Sciences 37 5,834 33% / 67% 4% $63,626
Biological and Physical Sciences 75 1,211 30% / 70% 2% $67,835
Biological Science 1 242 29% / 71% 2% $69,148
Integrative Biology 2 189 34% / 66% 7% $67,702
Biosciences 1 106 40% / 60% 4%
Biology - Pre-Health 1 76 28% / 72% 1% $66,373
Applied Biological Sciences 1 33 58% / 42% 0% $72,456
Biology (Course 7) 1 23 22% / 78% 4% $92,008
Biology (CCS) 1 10 40% / 60% 0% $67,317
Paleontology 1 10 60% / 40% 0%
Biology/Education 1 9 0% / 100% 0%
Integrative Biological and Physical Sciences 1 3 33% / 67% 0%