Best Colleges for Biology & Pre-Med in 2025–26
30 colleges with strong biology & pre-med programs, ranked by size and selectivity.
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
CUNY Queens College
Queens, NY
CUNY City College
New York, NY
Georgia Gwinnett College
Lawrenceville, GA
College of Charleston
Charleston, SC
College of Staten Island CUNY
Staten Island, NY
Southeastern Louisiana University
Hammond, LA
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN
University of California-Merced
Merced, CA
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA
The College of New Jersey
Ewing, NJ
Saint Leo University
Saint Leo, FL
Alabama A & M University
Normal, AL
Georgia College & State University
Milledgeville, GA
State University of New York at Cortland
Cortland, NY
Louisiana State University-Alexandria
Alexandria, LA
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Marist University
Poughkeepsie, NY
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Monroe, LA
SUNY Oneonta
Oneonta, NY
Dalton State College
Dalton, GA
University of South Carolina-Upstate
Spartanburg, SC
Worcester State University
Worcester, MA
About biology & pre-med as a major
Biology is one of the most popular majors in the US, partly because it's the standard 'pre-med' track. About 60% of medical school applicants majored in biology or a related life science as undergrads. But biology is not actually required for medical school — what matters is completing the pre-med course sequence (general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, biology I+II, math, English) and earning strong grades. A biology major just happens to overlap heavily with pre-med requirements. Outside of medicine, biology majors go into research, biotech, public health, environmental science, pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, and increasingly data-heavy fields like bioinformatics and computational biology.
Salary range
$50,000 starting for non-medical biology jobs; $250,000+ for practicing physicians (after 8-12 years training)
Study path
4-year BS in Biology (or related: Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Neuroscience). Pre-med sequence layered on top: gen chem → org chem → biochem → physics + math + writing. Medical school is 4 additional years after.
How to choose a biology & pre-med program
For pre-med students: medical school acceptance rates from the school matter, but the rate alone can be misleading (selective schools have higher rates partly because they admit students who would have gotten into med school anyway). What matters more: pre-med advising quality, committee-letter process (many strong programs write a 'committee letter' that significantly helps your med school application), undergraduate research opportunities, and access to teaching hospitals for shadowing. Strong undergraduate research programs and access to teaching hospitals are major advantages. Consider schools with early-assurance medical programs (BS/MD combined-degree) if you're certain about medicine — about 35 US schools offer them. For non-pre-med biology students, look at biotech corridor proximity (Boston, San Diego, Bay Area, North Carolina Research Triangle).
Common career paths for biology & pre-med graduates
Physician (MD/DO), Research Scientist, Pharmacist, Genetic Counselor, Biotech Researcher, Physician Assistant (PA), Veterinarian, Dentist, Public Health Officer, Bioinformatics Analyst
Scholarships for biology & pre-med students
There are scholarships specifically for students studying biology & pre-med. Search our database to find awards you qualify for.
Find biology & pre-med scholarships →Last updated: November 2025. Live acceptance rates and tuition pulled from each college's most recent reporting.