Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania98 schools
98 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Pennsylvania.
- 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
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 2
Haverford College
Haverford, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A- · Top 13%
- 3
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade A- · Top 15%
- 4
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B
- 5
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 6
Villanova University
Villanova, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 7
Lafayette College
Easton, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B · Top 47%
- 8
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 9
Franklin and Marshall College
Lancaster, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 10
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 11
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 12
Dickinson College
Carlisle, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 13
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
Pittsburgh, PA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 14
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 15
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 16
Grove City College
Grove City, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- 17
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 6% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 18
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B
- 19
Allegheny College
Meadville, PA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B
- 20
Susquehanna University
Selinsgrove, PA · Private nonprofitTop 10% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 21
Ursinus College
Collegeville, PA · Private nonprofitTop 12% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 22
University of Scranton
Scranton, PA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade B-
- 23
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 24
Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster
Lancaster, PA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in biology
- Value grade C+
- 25
Messiah University
Mechanicsburg, PA · Private nonprofitTop 15% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania | About $29,000 | $15,715 | $111,371 | 97% |
| Haverford College | About $25,000 | $13,621 | $79,966 | 90% |
| Swarthmore College | About $23,000 | $17,500 | $80,257 | 92% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | About $32,000 | $21,750 | $114,862 | 94% |
| Lehigh University | About $37,000 | $21,960 | $105,584 | 88% |
| Villanova University | About $44,000 | $25,874 | $100,423 | 92% |
| Lafayette College | About $34,000 | $16,000 | $91,410 | 88% |
| Bucknell University | About $41,000 | $27,000 | $93,807 | 86% |
| Franklin and Marshall College | About $36,000 | $19,000 | $76,124 | 84% |
| Bryn Mawr College | About $32,000 | $25,000 | $75,217 | 82% |
| Gettysburg College | About $31,000 | $26,999 | $71,517 | 83% |
| Dickinson College | About $38,000 | $19,000 | $70,204 | 80% |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | About $30,000 | $24,250 | $66,125 | 86% |
| Pennsylvania State University | About $33,000 | $25,000 | $63,435 | 86% |
| Muhlenberg College | About $29,000 | $25,455 | $69,107 | 82% |
| Grove City College | — | — | — | 83% |
| Drexel University | About $39,000 | $25,325 | $84,648 | 78% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | About $30,000 | $25,500 | $86,881 | 79% |
| Allegheny College | About $23,000 | $27,000 | $62,069 | 73% |
| Susquehanna University | About $29,000 | $27,000 | $61,723 | 82% |
| Ursinus College | About $31,000 | $27,000 | $73,721 | 73% |
| University of Scranton | About $33,000 | $27,000 | $74,652 | 80% |
| Duquesne University | About $38,000 | $26,244 | $74,742 | 77% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster | About $42,000 | $25,500 | $86,881 | 69% |
| Messiah University | About $27,000 | $25,621 | $54,064 | 75% |
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
- 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
- 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