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West Lafayette, IN · Biology

Biology at Purdue

Purdue graduates about 584 biology majors a year, 7% of its graduating class. That puts it 114th of 692 schools we score for biology, a strong program at 76 out of 100. Its current catalog lists 79 undergraduate courses in the field, more than 68% of the schools we've counted. Graduates in the major earn a median $55,000 four years out, about the national figure for the same major. Research spending in the field runs about $127 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

76/100Strong#114 of 692 for biology →
Graduates a year5847% of the class
Courses in the catalog79more than 68% of schools
Median pay 4 years out$55,0001.02× the same major nationally
Research in the field$127Ma year, NSF
Admit rate50%whole school
SAT middle 50%1200–1470whole school

Around Purdue

A shot of the Purdue University campus as seen from the top floor of Meredith So
Purdue University campus from top floor of Meredith South residence hallPhoto: Shocksingularity · CC0 · source
500px provided description: A small plane on approach to land at Purdue Universi
Flying Into The Sunset (198923043)Photo: Jesse Collins · CC BY 3.0 · source
This is a pymol view that shows the entire structure of the GDP-Mannose 4, 6-Deh
Pymol viewPhoto: Ctrob22 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
A rainbow over 3rd Street in West Lafayette, Indiana near the Honors College Res
Rainbow Over Third StreetPhoto: JMoga11 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Where biology happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: Bindley Bioscience Center, Student Health Center (PUSH), Chaney-Hale Hall of Science (CHAS), Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE), Life Science Ranges (Greenhouse and Service Building), Martin C. Jischke Hall of Biomedical Engineering, Ray W. Herrick Laboratories, Life Science Plant and Soils Laboratory, Herrick Laboratories, Hockmeyer Hall of Structural Biology (HOCK), National Soil Erosion Laboratory (SOIL), Creighton Hall of Animal Sciences (CRTN).

Named buildings on the campus map: Academic 209 · Dorm 75 · Athletics 12 · Student housing 9 · Dining 4 · Arts 4.

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Nearby in the biology ranking

  1. University of Denver 77
  2. Skidmore College 77
  3. Kenyon College 77
  4. Texas A&M University 76
  5. University at Buffalo–SUNY 76
  6. University of Vermont 76
  7. The University of Oklahoma 76
  8. Rutgers University–Newark 76

Other strong majors at Purdue

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares Purdue 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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