Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Massachusetts
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-med in Massachusetts47 schools
47 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Massachusetts.
- 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
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Massachusetts
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 2
Williams College
Williamstown, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 3
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A · Top 4%
- 4
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A · Top 7%
- 5
Amherst College
Amherst, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A · Top 8%
- 6
Tufts University
Medford, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 7
Boston University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B+ · Top 32%
- 8
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 9
Northeastern University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 10
Smith College
Northampton, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B · Top 43%
- 11
College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 12
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 13
Brandeis University
Waltham, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 14
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Amherst, MA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B+ · Top 28%
- 15
Clark University
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 16
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofitTop 2% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 17
Simmons University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B
- 18
Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
Norton, MA · Private nonprofitTop 17% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 19
Stonehill College
Easton, MA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 20
Springfield College
Springfield, MA · Private nonprofitTop 15% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 21
Gordon College
Wenham, MA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 22
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Lowell, MA · PublicTop 20% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 23
Assumption University
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 24
Emmanuel College
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitTop 16% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 25
Regis College
Weston, MA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $20,111 | $14,768 | $143,372 | 96% |
| Williams College | $17,716 | $12,761 | $88,665 | 94% |
| Harvard University | $19,066 | $14,000 | $101,817 | 98% |
| Wellesley College | $25,496 | $10,000 | $84,803 | 92% |
| Amherst College | $23,367 | $13,740 | $77,644 | 94% |
| Tufts University | $39,998 | $16,250 | $83,214 | 94% |
| Boston University | $24,402 | $23,250 | $83,238 | 89% |
| Boston College | $41,704 | $19,000 | $103,937 | 91% |
| Northeastern University | $30,915 | $24,250 | $92,538 | 91% |
| Smith College | $27,579 | $17,550 | $64,027 | 89% |
| College of the Holy Cross | $38,782 | $27,000 | $90,543 | 87% |
| Mount Holyoke College | $26,441 | $22,902 | $58,418 | 84% |
| Brandeis University | $35,736 | $25,648 | $77,231 | 86% |
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst | $22,383 | $22,763 | $71,631 | 83% |
| Clark University | $28,714 | $26,759 | $62,381 | 77% |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | $43,071 | $27,000 | $103,470 | 90% |
| Simmons University | $25,265 | $24,840 | $63,494 | 72% |
| Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | $29,822 | $26,000 | $67,725 | 73% |
| Stonehill College | $33,016 | $25,000 | $77,745 | 76% |
| Springfield College | $30,587 | $26,250 | $48,036 | 74% |
| Gordon College | $24,883 | $26,250 | $52,119 | 69% |
| University of Massachusetts-Lowell | $17,163 | $23,704 | $64,874 | 65% |
| Assumption University | $29,498 | $27,000 | $74,895 | 75% |
| Emmanuel College | $26,706 | $27,000 | $68,245 | 68% |
| Regis College | $27,477 | $25,500 | $52,873 | 72% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- 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
- 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