Massachusetts · Biology

Best colleges for Biology in Massachusetts

Ranked by graduate earnings

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, University of Massachusetts-Lowell and Stonehill College are the top bachelor's Biology programs in Massachusetts by graduate earnings. Worcester Polytechnic Institute leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $51,711, College Scorecard. University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Tufts University and Boston College award the most Biology degrees in Massachusetts: 336, 306 and 238 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 63 Massachusetts colleges offer Biology and award 3,243 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Biology program, also known as Biology, General, is designed for students interested in the scientific study of life and living organisms. This broad natural science encompasses various fields, focusing on the structure, function,…

Institutions
63
offering CIP 26.01
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
3,243
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$45,494
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
33
College Scorecard
Median net price
$24,206
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
60%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Biological Technicians
$67,420
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$51,7115390%$32,926$26,999
2University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Lowell Public · Bachelor's degree
$46,52613865%—$26,747
3Stonehill College
Easton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$46,0882576%$24,000$27,000
4Salem State University
Salem Public · Bachelor's degree
$45,6706550%—$27,000
5Northeastern University
Boston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$45,49418791%$18,925$25,000
6Emmanuel College
Boston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$45,2755168%$29,723$27,000
7Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater Public · Bachelor's degree
$44,6266453%—$27,000
8Worcester State University
Worcester Public · Bachelor's degree
$44,4504361%—$23,625
9College of the Holy Cross
Worcester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$43,2767387%$24,533$27,000
10Suffolk University
Boston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$42,8523461%$28,895$27,000

Colleges awarding the most Biology degrees in Massachusetts

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Amherst Public
336$40,427
2Tufts University
Medford Private not-for-profit
306$39,016
3Boston College
Chestnut Hill Private not-for-profit
238$38,592
4Boston University
Boston Private not-for-profit
229$40,165
5University of Massachusetts-Boston
Boston Public
215$42,721
6Northeastern University
Boston Private not-for-profit
187$45,494
7University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Lowell Public
138$46,526
8Harvard University
Cambridge Private not-for-profit
102Not reported
9Brandeis University
Waltham Private not-for-profit
98$37,475
10College of the Holy Cross
Worcester Private not-for-profit
73$43,276
Show the other 53 Massachusetts colleges offering Biology
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Salem State UniversitySalemPublic65
Bridgewater State UniversityBridgewaterPublic64
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health SciencesBostonPrivate not-for-profit63
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (Graduate only)WorcesterPublic59
Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcesterPrivate not-for-profit53
Emmanuel CollegeBostonPrivate not-for-profit51
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgePrivate not-for-profit50
University of Massachusetts-DartmouthNorth DartmouthPublic48
Mount Holyoke CollegeSouth HadleyPrivate not-for-profit47
Williams CollegeWilliamstownPrivate not-for-profit46
Wheaton College (Massachusetts)NortonPrivate not-for-profit43
Worcester State UniversityWorcesterPublic43
Clark UniversityWorcesterPrivate not-for-profit41
Bunker Hill Community CollegeBostonPublic35
Merrimack CollegeNorth AndoverPrivate not-for-profit34
Smith CollegeNorthamptonPrivate not-for-profit34
Suffolk UniversityBostonPrivate not-for-profit34
Bristol Community CollegeFall RiverPublic33
College of Our Lady of the ElmsChicopeePrivate not-for-profit33
Westfield State UniversityWestfieldPublic33
Bay Path UniversityLongmeadowPrivate not-for-profit31
Fitchburg State UniversityFitchburgPublic30
Wellesley CollegeWellesleyPrivate not-for-profit30
Stonehill CollegeEastonPrivate not-for-profit25
Assumption UniversityWorcesterPrivate not-for-profit24
Gordon CollegeWenhamPrivate not-for-profit24
Framingham State UniversityFraminghamPublic22
Middlesex Community CollegeBedfordPublic21
Amherst CollegeAmherstPrivate not-for-profit20
Holyoke Community CollegeHolyokePublic20
Simmons UniversityBostonPrivate not-for-profit17
Curry CollegeMiltonPrivate not-for-profit14
Western New England UniversitySpringfieldPrivate not-for-profit13
Quinsigamond Community CollegeWorcesterPublic11
Fisher CollegeBostonPrivate not-for-profit10
Northern Essex Community CollegeHaverhillPublic10
Dean CollegeFranklinPrivate not-for-profit9
Massachusetts College of Liberal ArtsNorth AdamsPublic9
Regis CollegeWestonPrivate not-for-profit9
Massasoit Community CollegeBrocktonPublic8
Springfield Technical Community CollegeSpringfieldPublic8
Mount Wachusett Community CollegeGardnerPublic7
Roxbury Community CollegeRoxbury CrossingPublic7
American International CollegeSpringfieldPrivate not-for-profit6
Greenfield Community CollegeGreenfieldPublic5
Springfield CollegeSpringfieldPrivate not-for-profit5
Sattler CollegeBostonPrivate not-for-profit4
Cape Cod Community CollegeWest BarnstablePublic3
Lesley UniversityCambridgePrivate not-for-profit3
Quincy CollegeQuincyPublic3
Northeastern University Professional ProgramsBostonPrivate not-for-profit2
Hampshire CollegeAmherstPrivate not-for-profit1
Lasell UniversityNewtonPrivate not-for-profit1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Biological Technicians (SOC 19-4021).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+3.5%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~9,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$52,000
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingScienceActive ListeningActive LearningWriting

What Biological Technicians earn in Massachusetts

Jobs in Massachusetts
8,430
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$67,420
median $62,070
Best-paying metro
$68,590
Worcester, MA

Related careers

Biological Technicians
$67,420 avg · 8,430 jobs
Biological Scientists, All Other
$122,930 avg · 2,930 jobs
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary
$134,120 avg · 2,060 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Biology programs in Massachusetts.

Which Massachusetts colleges award the most Biology degrees?+

University of Massachusetts-Amherst (336 graduates a year), Tufts University (306 graduates a year) and Boston College (238 graduates a year) award the most Biology degrees in Massachusetts, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 63 Massachusetts colleges offer Biology.

What is the best college for Biology in Massachusetts?+

By graduate earnings, Worcester Polytechnic Institute leads among bachelor's Biology programs in Massachusetts, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $51,711, College Scorecard. University of Massachusetts-Lowell and Stonehill College follow. By degrees awarded, University of Massachusetts-Amherst is the largest, with 336 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Biology program in Massachusetts has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Worcester Polytechnic Institute tops the list at $51,711. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Biological Technicians earn in Massachusetts?+

The average annual wage for Biological Technicians in Massachusetts is $67,420 (median $62,070), across about 8,430 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Biology program?+

The Biology program, also known as Biology, General, is designed for students interested in the scientific study of life and living organisms. This broad natural science encompasses various fields, focusing on the structure, function,…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop reading comprehension, critical thinking, science, active listening, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Biological Technicians?+

The national job outlook is about +3.5% growth with around 9,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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