{
  "major": "Biology",
  "slug": "biology",
  "field": "Health & Life Sciences",
  "as_of": "2026",
  "url": "https://collegeranked.com/best-biology-schools/",
  "source": "U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2026 release); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics",
  "metric_definitions": {
    "median_earnings": "Median earnings one year after graduation (Scorecard)",
    "net_price": "Average annual cost of attendance after grant aid. For PUBLIC schools this reflects IN-STATE cost; out-of-state students pay more.",
    "roi_10yr_usd": "Ten years of earnings minus four years of net price",
    "public": "true = public university (net_price is in-state basis); false = private (residency-neutral)"
  },
  "total_colleges_with_reported_data": 830,
  "shown": 25,
  "ranking": [
    {
      "rank": 1,
      "school": "University of New Hampshire at Manchester",
      "state": "NH",
      "median_earnings": 45346,
      "net_price": 9992,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 413492,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 2,
      "school": "California State University-East Bay",
      "state": "CA",
      "median_earnings": 44370,
      "net_price": 9320,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 406420,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 3,
      "school": "Northeastern University Oakland",
      "state": "CA",
      "median_earnings": 45494,
      "net_price": 25181,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 354216,
      "public": false
    },
    {
      "rank": 4,
      "school": "Saint Cloud State University",
      "state": "MN",
      "median_earnings": 44166,
      "net_price": 13529,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 387544,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 5,
      "school": "University of Massachusetts-Lowell",
      "state": "MA",
      "median_earnings": 46526,
      "net_price": 17163,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 396608,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 6,
      "school": "Salem State University",
      "state": "MA",
      "median_earnings": 45670,
      "net_price": 15996,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 392716,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 7,
      "school": "Worcester State University",
      "state": "MA",
      "median_earnings": 44450,
      "net_price": 13381,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 390976,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 8,
      "school": "Virginia Military Institute",
      "state": "VA",
      "median_earnings": 43797,
      "net_price": 17113,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 369518,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 9,
      "school": "Shepherd University",
      "state": "WV",
      "median_earnings": 49165,
      "net_price": 11363,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 446198,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 10,
      "school": "Northeastern University",
      "state": "MA",
      "median_earnings": 45494,
      "net_price": 30915,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 331280,
      "public": false
    },
    {
      "rank": 11,
      "school": "Purdue University-Main Campus",
      "state": "IN",
      "median_earnings": 40145,
      "net_price": 14600,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 343050,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 12,
      "school": "Rhode Island College",
      "state": "RI",
      "median_earnings": 39910,
      "net_price": 9478,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 361188,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 13,
      "school": "California State University-San Marcos",
      "state": "CA",
      "median_earnings": 38527,
      "net_price": 10229,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 344354,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 14,
      "school": "University of Southern Maine",
      "state": "ME",
      "median_earnings": 43722,
      "net_price": 13596,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 382836,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 15,
      "school": "Governors State University",
      "state": "IL",
      "median_earnings": 43641,
      "net_price": 12329,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 387094,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 16,
      "school": "Carroll University",
      "state": "WI",
      "median_earnings": 43188,
      "net_price": 15193,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 371108,
      "public": false
    },
    {
      "rank": 17,
      "school": "Fitchburg State University",
      "state": "MA",
      "median_earnings": 41250,
      "net_price": 14262,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 355452,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 18,
      "school": "University of Missouri-Kansas City",
      "state": "MO",
      "median_earnings": 40483,
      "net_price": 13310,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 351590,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 19,
      "school": "University of Washington-Tacoma Campus",
      "state": "WA",
      "median_earnings": 38716,
      "net_price": 10163,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 346508,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 20,
      "school": "Utah Valley University",
      "state": "UT",
      "median_earnings": 38427,
      "net_price": 6376,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 358766,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 21,
      "school": "California State University-Channel Islands",
      "state": "CA",
      "median_earnings": 38344,
      "net_price": 9849,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 344044,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 22,
      "school": "University of Rhode Island",
      "state": "RI",
      "median_earnings": 45846,
      "net_price": 21440,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 372700,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 23,
      "school": "Emmanuel College",
      "state": "MA",
      "median_earnings": 45275,
      "net_price": 26706,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 345926,
      "public": false
    },
    {
      "rank": 24,
      "school": "William Paterson University of New Jersey",
      "state": "NJ",
      "median_earnings": 42492,
      "net_price": 18745,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 349940,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 25,
      "school": "University of Delaware",
      "state": "DE",
      "median_earnings": 39746,
      "net_price": 17799,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 326264,
      "public": true
    }
  ]
}