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Evanston, IL · Biology

Biology at Northwestern

Northwestern graduates about 248 biology majors a year, 12% of its graduating class. That puts it 28th of 692 schools we score for biology, a standout program at 88 out of 100. Its current catalog lists 65 undergraduate courses in the field, more than 50% of the schools we've counted. Graduates in the major earn a median $63,000 four years out, 1.07× what the same major pays nationally. Research spending in the field runs about $560 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

88/100Standout#28 of 692 for biology →
Graduates a year24812% of the class
Courses in the catalog65more than 50% of schools
Median pay 4 years out$63,0001.07× the same major nationally
Research in the field$560Ma year, NSF
Admit rate7%whole school
SAT middle 50%1490–1570whole school

Around Northwestern

A photo of the interior of Dearborn Observatory. The dome is open, the red light
Dearborn Telescope with open domePhoto: Jackricono · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
The Shakespeare Garden in Evanston (1915). It was established by the Garden Club
Shakespeare Garden (8105928197)Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Aggelos Katsaggelos
Aggelos KatsaggelosPhoto: Leandros89 · CC0 · source
This represents what PDMS looks like.
FabricwithinPDMSPhoto: Ih2283 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Where biology happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: Cresap Laboratory, Pancoe-ENH Life Sciences Pavilion, Seeley G. Mudd Science and Engineering Library, Hogan Biological Sciences Building.

Named buildings on the campus map: Academic 96 · Dorm 44 · Fraternity or sorority house 13 · Arts 8 · Chapel 5 · Athletics 3.

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Nearby in the biology ranking

  1. University of Rochester 89
  2. Case Western Reserve University 89
  3. University of California, Davis 88
  4. University of Minnesota–Twin Cities 88
  5. Georgetown University 88
  6. Bowdoin College 88
  7. Davidson College 88
  8. University of Washington 87

Other strong majors at Northwestern

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares Northwestern with every school we score in biology. It weighs the school's overall strength; how many students graduate in the major and what share of the class they are; research spending in the field (NSF); early pay against the same major nationally; how many courses the catalog lists; and test scores. 80+ is a standout program, 65+ strong, 45+ solid. Sources: US Department of Education (College Scorecard, IPEDS), NSF HERD, each school's current course catalog, OpenStreetMap and Wikimedia Commons.

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