Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Minnesota
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 Minnesota30 schools
30 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Minnesota.
- 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
Carleton College
Northfield, MN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Minnesota
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A- · Top 20%
- 2
Macalester College
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#2 in Minnesota
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 3
St. Olaf College
Northfield, MN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#3 in Minnesota
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B · Top 50%
- 4
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A · Top 9%
- 5
Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, MN · Private nonprofit#5 in Minnesota
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B · Top 49%
- 6
University of St. Thomas
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitTop 12% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B · Top 50%
- 7
Bethel University
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofit#7 in Minnesota
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 8
Saint Johns University
Collegeville, MN · Private nonprofitTop 10% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B · Top 46%
- 9
College of Saint Benedict
Saint Joseph, MN · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 10
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Duluth, MN · PublicTop 24% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 11
The College of Saint Scholastica
Duluth, MN · Private nonprofitTop 19% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B · Top 48%
- 12
Concordia College at Moorhead
Moorhead, MN · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 13
University of Northwestern-St. Paul
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitTop 24% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 14
University of Minnesota-Morris
Morris, MN · PublicTop 12% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A- · Top 13%
- 15
Bethany Lutheran College
Mankato, MN · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 16
Crown College
Saint Bonifacius, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 17
St. Catherine University
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B · Top 41%
- 18
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona, MN · Private nonprofitTop 20% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A- · Top 12%
- 19
North Central University
Minneapolis, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 20
Hamline University
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B · Top 41%
- 21
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Moorhead, MN · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B · Top 40%
- 22
Winona State University
Winona, MN · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B+ · Top 28%
- 23
Minnesota State University-Mankato
Mankato, MN · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B+ · Top 35%
- 24
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, MN · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B+ · Top 24%
- 25
University of Minnesota-Crookston
Crookston, MN · PublicTop 22% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A- · Top 11%
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton College | $25,407 | $16,750 | $75,525 | 90% |
| Macalester College | $32,149 | $23,000 | $63,878 | 87% |
| St. Olaf College | $23,874 | $26,000 | $65,543 | 84% |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | $16,778 | $19,500 | $69,020 | 85% |
| Gustavus Adolphus College | $22,900 | $26,774 | $65,607 | 77% |
| University of St. Thomas | $29,155 | $23,250 | $73,739 | 76% |
| Bethel University | $28,556 | $21,500 | $63,764 | 71% |
| Saint Johns University | $25,672 | $27,000 | $76,786 | 75% |
| College of Saint Benedict | $26,640 | $26,944 | $63,260 | 77% |
| University of Minnesota-Duluth | $18,743 | $22,024 | $62,616 | 65% |
| The College of Saint Scholastica | $27,846 | $20,000 | $65,934 | 71% |
| Concordia College at Moorhead | $24,902 | $26,847 | $59,317 | 61% |
| University of Northwestern-St. Paul | $27,705 | $21,325 | $50,755 | 68% |
| University of Minnesota-Morris | $8,837 | $18,995 | $50,919 | 63% |
| Bethany Lutheran College | $20,148 | $23,000 | $46,110 | 55% |
| Crown College | $26,672 | $22,500 | $48,057 | 45% |
| St. Catherine University | $19,764 | $24,181 | $59,282 | 61% |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | $11,704 | $21,500 | $58,170 | 66% |
| North Central University | $25,817 | $23,200 | $45,064 | 66% |
| Hamline University | $20,744 | $23,770 | $61,106 | 60% |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead | $17,997 | $20,000 | $50,527 | 57% |
| Winona State University | $17,503 | $21,500 | $58,532 | 57% |
| Minnesota State University-Mankato | $19,139 | $21,106 | $56,922 | 54% |
| Bemidji State University | $15,261 | $19,750 | $53,755 | 48% |
| University of Minnesota-Crookston | $12,212 | $20,500 | $58,056 | 50% |
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
- Massachusetts 47
- Michigan 33
- 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