# Most Affordable Colleges for Biology

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: Value
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/most-affordable-biology

## Methodology

Ranked by affordability with program concentration in Biology & Biomedical

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

When considering a degree in biology, affordability is a key factor for many families. The cost of tuition can be daunting, yet some institutions manage to deliver quality education at a fraction of the price compared to their peers. For example, Princeton University leads the pack not only in prestige but also in impressive post-graduation earnings, averaging $110,066.

What sets these schools apart from others are critical outcomes like graduation rates, debt levels, and average earnings after graduation. The schools listed here demonstrate strong performance in these areas, especially for programs concentrated in biology and biomedical sciences. With an average graduation rate of 61% and average earnings of $62,360, these institutions show that affordability doesn't have to compromise quality.

Take Princeton University and CUNY Hunter College, for instance. While Princeton has a graduation rate of 97% and net price of $6,128, CUNY Hunter College, despite its lower net price of $2,984, has a graduation rate of only 59%. This contrast highlights the varying tradeoffs between cost and outcomes, making it essential for students to assess what matters most to them as they explore their options.

## Key Findings

- Princeton University graduates earn an average of $110,066, significantly higher than the average earnings of $62,360 across these schools.
- CUNY Hunter College has the lowest net price at $2,984, making it a budget-friendly choice despite a lower graduation rate.
- University of Florida graduates have a 91% graduation rate, indicating strong support for student success.
- CUNY City College has a graduation rate of 56%, highlighting the challenges some institutions face in retaining students.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Princeton University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/princeton-university) | Princeton, NJ | 97% | $110,066 | $6,128 | $10,320 | 0.09x |
| 2 | [CUNY Hunter College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-hunter-college) | New York, NY | 59% | $63,163 | $2,984 | $11,000 | 0.17x |
| 3 | [CUNY Brooklyn College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-brooklyn-college) | Brooklyn, NY | 55% | $60,752 | $3,103 | $11,000 | 0.18x |
| 4 | [University of Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-florida) | Gainesville, FL | 91% | $71,588 | $6,541 | $15,000 | 0.21x |
| 5 | [CUNY Lehman College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-lehman-college) | Bronx, NY | 50% | $58,013 | $3,148 | $10,950 | 0.19x |
| 6 | [CUNY Queens College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-queens-college) | Queens, NY | 56% | $62,763 | $4,195 | $10,298 | 0.16x |
| 7 | [CUNY York College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-york-college) | Jamaica, NY | 31% | $56,945 | $4,456 | $11,000 | 0.19x |
| 8 | [CUNY City College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-city-college) | New York, NY | 56% | $66,039 | $3,776 | $11,990 | 0.18x |
| 9 | [CUNY Medgar Evers College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-medgar-evers-college) | Brooklyn, NY | 21% | $46,498 | $5,718 | $10,988 | 0.24x |
| 10 | [University of Florida-Online](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-florida-online) | Gainesville, FL | 81% | $71,588 | $4,815 | $15,000 | 0.21x |
| 11 | [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill) | Chapel Hill, NC | 92% | $72,200 | $11,655 | $14,000 | 0.19x |
| 12 | [University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-puerto-rico-aguadilla) | Aguadilla, PR | 47% | $27,997 | $7,765 | $5,500 | 0.2x |
| 13 | [Berea College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/berea-college) | Berea, KY | 60% | $43,150 | $6,106 | $3,591 | 0.08x |
| 14 | [University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-science-and-arts-of-oklahoma) | Chickasha, OK | 41% | $41,913 | $6,624 | $21,750 | 0.52x |
| 15 | [University of South Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-south-florida) | Tampa, FL | 76% | $57,743 | $9,812 | $17,988 | 0.31x |
| 16 | [Texas A & M International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/texas-a-m-international-university) | Laredo, TX | 48% | $48,386 | $3,637 | $15,000 | 0.31x |
| 17 | [Elizabeth City State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/elizabeth-city-state-university) | Elizabeth City, NC | 46% | $40,026 | $6,364 | $21,463 | 0.54x |
| 18 | [Florida International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-international-university) | Miami, FL | 74% | $60,249 | $9,288 | $16,500 | 0.27x |
| 19 | [Rice University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/rice-university) | Houston, TX | 95% | $89,718 | $13,370 | $11,000 | 0.12x |
| 20 | [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus) | Atlanta, GA | 93% | $102,772 | $12,116 | $21,672 | 0.21x |
| 21 | [New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/new-mexico-institute-of-mining-and-technology) | Socorro, NM | 57% | $76,489 | $9,873 | $19,085 | 0.25x |
| 22 | [Florida Atlantic University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-atlantic-university) | Boca Raton, FL | 63% | $56,746 | $8,752 | $17,236 | 0.3x |
| 23 | [The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley) | Edinburg, TX | 50% | $49,620 | $4,831 | $12,950 | 0.26x |
| 24 | [Stanford University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/stanford-university) | Stanford, CA | 92% | $124,080 | $13,807 | $12,000 | 0.1x |
| 25 | [Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/abraham-baldwin-agricultural-college) | Tifton, GA | 33% | $34,996 | $6,842 | $16,750 | 0.48x |
| 26 | [University of Central Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-central-florida) | Orlando, FL | 77% | $58,308 | $10,411 | $18,190 | 0.31x |
| 27 | [Northern Kentucky University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northern-kentucky-university) | Highland Heights, KY | 50% | $50,220 | $8,191 | $23,000 | 0.46x |
| 28 | [University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-puerto-rico-bayamon) | Bayamon, PR | 34% | $34,409 | $8,484 | $5,500 | 0.16x |
| 29 | [Marshall University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/marshall-university) | Huntington, WV | 50% | $46,354 | $7,502 | $23,250 | 0.5x |
| 30 | [University of West Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-west-florida) | Pensacola, FL | 60% | $49,137 | $9,364 | $16,624 | 0.34x |
| 31 | [Dalton State College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dalton-state-college) | Dalton, GA | 28% | $40,251 | $5,012 | $12,937 | 0.32x |
| 32 | [University of North Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-florida) | Jacksonville, FL | 69% | $56,343 | $10,154 | $15,531 | 0.28x |
| 33 | [Oakland University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/oakland-university) | Rochester Hills, MI | 57% | $58,612 | $9,120 | $22,750 | 0.39x |
| 34 | [Bowdoin College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bowdoin-college) | Brunswick, ME | 95% | $82,735 | $14,398 | $18,500 | 0.22x |
| 35 | [College of Staten Island CUNY](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-staten-island-cuny) | Staten Island, NY | 33% | $53,501 | $5,579 | $14,350 | 0.27x |
| 36 | [California State University-Los Angeles](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-los-angeles) | Los Angeles, CA | 53% | $59,211 | $3,967 | $13,000 | 0.22x |
| 37 | [Florida State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-state-university) | Tallahassee, FL | 84% | $61,675 | $11,297 | $18,000 | 0.29x |
| 38 | [The University of Texas at El Paso](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-el-paso) | El Paso, TX | 48% | $50,923 | $9,403 | $18,000 | 0.35x |
| 39 | [California State University-San Bernardino](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-san-bernardino) | San Bernardino, CA | 55% | $59,977 | $4,564 | $14,715 | 0.25x |
| 40 | [University of Chicago](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-chicago) | Chicago, IL | 95% | $91,885 | $14,860 | $15,000 | 0.16x |
| 41 | [Portland State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/portland-state-university) | Portland, OR | 53% | $57,906 | $9,552 | $20,500 | 0.35x |
| 42 | [Murray State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/murray-state-university) | Murray, KY | 60% | $44,737 | $9,096 | $20,500 | 0.46x |
| 43 | [Fayetteville State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fayetteville-state-university) | Fayetteville, NC | 37% | $40,144 | $7,892 | $22,987 | 0.57x |
| 44 | [Christian Brothers University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/christian-brothers-university) | Memphis, TN | 55% | $57,478 | $9,854 | $27,000 | 0.47x |
| 45 | [University of Minnesota-Morris](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-minnesota-morris) | Morris, MN | 62% | $50,919 | $8,837 | $18,995 | 0.37x |
| 46 | [California State University-Stanislaus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-stanislaus) | Turlock, CA | 56% | $63,188 | $6,067 | $13,540 | 0.21x |
| 47 | [University of North Georgia](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-georgia) | Dahlonega, GA | 37% | $50,135 | $9,823 | $17,750 | 0.35x |
| 48 | [University of Puerto Rico at Cayey](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-puerto-rico-at-cayey) | Cayey, PR | 49% | $30,958 | $10,176 | $5,000 | 0.16x |
| 49 | [California State University-Bakersfield](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-bakersfield) | Bakersfield, CA | 50% | $59,009 | $5,652 | $16,600 | 0.28x |
| 50 | [California State University-Fullerton](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-fullerton) | Fullerton, CA | 70% | $62,951 | $6,555 | $13,750 | 0.22x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Most Affordable Colleges for Biology." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/most-affordable-biology

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.