Best colleges for biology and pre-med
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in biology, the usual route for pre-medical study, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for biology and pre-med1,358 schools
1,358 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in biology, from the College Scorecard field-of-study data (credential level 3).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in California
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- 2
Stanford University
Stanford, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 3
Rice University
Houston, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 4
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Maryland
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 5
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Massachusetts
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 6Tie
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 6Tie
Williams College
Williamstown, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 8Tie
Brown University
Providence, RI · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#1 in Rhode Island
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A · Top 9%
- 8Tie
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A · Top 4%
- 10
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A · Top 7%
- 11
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Tennessee
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 12
Pomona College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 13
Duke University
Durham, NC · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in North Carolina
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B+ · Top 23%
- 14
United States Military Academy
West Point, NY · PublicHonor Roll#1 in New York
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- 15Tie
Amherst College
Amherst, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A · Top 8%
- 15Tie
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 15Tie
United States Air Force Academy
USAF Academy, CO · PublicHonor Roll#1 in Colorado
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- 18
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#2 in New York
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 19
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 20
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 21
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, MI · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Michigan
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- 22
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Missouri
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A- · Top 11%
- 23
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, ME · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Maine
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 24
Haverford College
Haverford, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A- · Top 13%
- 25
Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 2% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A- · Top 19%
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Institute of Technology | $16,075 | — | $128,566 | 94% |
| Stanford University | $13,807 | $12,000 | $124,080 | 92% |
| Rice University | $13,370 | $11,000 | $89,718 | 95% |
| Johns Hopkins University | $18,809 | $10,250 | $87,555 | 94% |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $20,111 | $14,768 | $143,372 | 96% |
| University of Chicago | $14,860 | $15,000 | $91,885 | 96% |
| Williams College | $17,716 | $12,761 | $88,665 | 94% |
| Brown University | $25,184 | $11,428 | $93,487 | 96% |
| Harvard University | $19,066 | $14,000 | $101,817 | 98% |
| Wellesley College | $25,496 | $10,000 | $84,803 | 92% |
| Vanderbilt University | $15,846 | $14,000 | $91,565 | 94% |
| Pomona College | $19,285 | $11,782 | $77,779 | 93% |
| Duke University | $29,612 | $13,000 | $97,800 | 97% |
| United States Military Academy | — | — | — | 87% |
| Amherst College | $23,367 | $13,740 | $77,644 | 94% |
| Claremont McKenna College | $28,849 | $13,500 | $104,736 | 91% |
| United States Air Force Academy | — | — | — | 88% |
| Cornell University | $28,690 | $14,000 | $104,043 | 95% |
| University of Pennsylvania | $28,699 | $15,715 | $111,371 | 97% |
| Northwestern University | $29,167 | $15,000 | $89,363 | 95% |
| Hillsdale College | — | — | — | 90% |
| Washington University in St. Louis | $21,786 | $17,500 | $86,182 | 94% |
| Bowdoin College | $14,398 | $18,500 | $82,735 | 95% |
| Haverford College | $25,314 | $13,621 | $79,966 | 90% |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | $21,590 | $21,500 | $102,491 | 96% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
By state
- Alabama 23
- Alaska 3
- Arizona 9
- Arkansas 19
- California 69
- Colorado 15
- Connecticut 21
- Delaware 3
- District of Columbia 8
- Florida 35
- Georgia 49
- Hawaii 5
- Idaho 7
- Illinois 48
- Indiana 40
- Iowa 26
- Kansas 23
- Kentucky 25
- Louisiana 22
- Maine 13
- Maryland 20
- Massachusetts 47
- Michigan 33
- Minnesota 30
- Mississippi 15
- Missouri 40
- Montana 9
- Nebraska 17
- Nevada 4
- New Hampshire 11
- New Jersey 25
- New Mexico 8
- New York 88
- North Carolina 50
- North Dakota 8
- Ohio 60
- Oklahoma 21
- Oregon 18
- Pennsylvania 98
- Puerto Rico 25
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 31
- South Dakota 9
- Tennessee 36
- Texas 68
- Utah 7
- Vermont 7
- Virginia 38
- Washington 18
- West Virginia 15
- Wisconsin 28