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Best General Biology Schools in Illinois

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2023 Best General Biology Schools in Illinois

37 Colleges
$27,289 Avg Salary
$25,427 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best General Biology School for You

General Biology is one of the most popular subjects to study in Illinois. With 2,864 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, it ranked 10th out of all the majors we track in the state.

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools with offerings that you might find attractive.

The Best General Biology Schools in Illinois ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 37 schools in Illinois to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best General Biology Schools in Illinois

The colleges and universities below are the best for biology majors pursuing a .

Top 10 Best General Biology Schools

#1

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, IL

Our analysis found Lake Forest College to be the best school for general biology students who want to pursue a degree in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Lake Forest, Lake Forest is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

On average, biology graduates from Lake Forest take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.

Read More…

#2

Aurora University

Aurora, IL

Out of the 37 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Aurora University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Aurora is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Aurora.

The average amount in student loans that biology majors at Aurora take out is $27,000.

Read full report on General Biology at Aurora University

#3

Millikin University

Decatur, IL

The excellent programs at Millikin University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best general biology schools in Illinois. Located in the city of Decatur, Millikin is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

The average amount in student loans that biology majors at Millikin take out is $24,125.

Read full report on General Biology at Millikin University

#4

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, IL

The excellent programs at Elmhurst University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best general biology schools in Illinois. Located in the large suburb of Elmhurst, Elmhurst is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

On average, biology graduates from Elmhurst take out $24,495 in student loans while working on their degree.

Full General Biology at Elmhurst University Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Illinois State University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best General Biology Schools in Illinois list. Illinois State is a very large public school located in the suburb of Normal.

Biology majors at Illinois State take out an average of $24,975 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $404.

Read full report on General Biology at Illinois State University

#6

Dominican University

River Forest, IL

Dominican University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best General Biology Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in the large suburb of River Forest, Dominican U is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

Biology majors at Dominican U take out an average of $26,959 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read full report on General Biology at Dominican University

#7

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL

University of Chicago did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for general biology students. It came in at #7 on the list. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago.

On average, biology graduates from UChicago take out $13,833 in student loans while working on their degree.

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With a ranking of #8, Northern Illinois University did quite well on this year’s best schools for general biology students. NIU is a large public school located in the small suburb of Dekalb.

On average, biology graduates from NIU take out $24,968 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $160.

Full General Biology at Northern Illinois University Report

#9

Augustana College

Rock Island, IL

Augustana College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best General Biology Schools in Illinois ranking. Augustana is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Rock Island.

On average, biology graduates from Augustana take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $298.

Read More…

#10

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL

Northwestern University landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best general biology programs. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.

The average amount in student loans that biology majors at Northwestern take out is $14,500.

Read full report on General Biology at Northwestern University

Best General Biology Colleges in the Great Lakes Region

Explore all the Best General Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Michigan 2,795
Ohio 3,097
Indiana 1,765
Wisconsin 1,970

One of 14 majors within the area of study, general biology has other similar majors worth exploring.

Majors Similar to Biology

Related Major Annual Graduates
Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology 14,535
Neurobiology & Neurosciences 11,615
Physiology & Pathology Sciences 8,813
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology 7,247
Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences 6,206

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • 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 the rest 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).

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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