The Best Colleges for Biology in Missouri of 2023-2024

Take a minute to explore our study and list of the best colleges for biology in Missouri.

The Best Colleges for Biology in Missouri of 2023-2024
Austin Anderson

Biology has been a popular field of study for college students for some time now, but its popularity has managed to grow even further. This could be due in part to an increase in pre-med students or due in part to the impact of climate change on Earth’s biology. Either way, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), there are over 3.1 million Americans employed in the field of biology. They earn a median annual wage of $65,000, which is better than the median annual wage for all fields of study, $60,000. Moreover, studies in biology don’t necessarily have to end with a bachelor’s degree. According to the OOH, 58% of those with a biology degree also earned advanced degrees.

Considering its popularity, finding the best colleges for biology is an important criteria when researching different colleges to apply to. Thus, for our study here, BrokeScholar concentrated on identifying the best colleges for biology in Missouri. We analyzed 66 colleges in Missouri, both four-year public institutions and private not-for-profit institutions, but excluding for-profit institutions. Sourcing data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), we assembled a list of the best colleges for biology in Missouri for the academic year 2023-2024. (See the methodology section for more details).

Read on to find out the best colleges for biology degrees in Missouri.

Best Colleges for Biology in Missouri 

For our biology degree study, we analyzed all the four-year public and private not-for-profit colleges in Missouri in terms of various factors. These included the type and number of degrees awarded per academic year in Biology/Biological Sciences, General (terminology provided by the NCES), graduation rates, estimated annual cost of tuition and required fees. Another key factor was the proportion of degrees in biology compared to the student population. This was an important factor in the study because it levelled the playing field so that smaller schools could rank as well and not get swamped by the quantity of biology degrees conferred by larger state schools.

In terms of the level of degrees awarded in biology, the top 12 best colleges for biology in Missouri offer a range from certificates through doctoral degrees. The level with the most degrees in biology is a bachelor's degree. So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at the breakdown of the best colleges for biology in Missouri.

Central Methodist University

Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit

Graduation rate: 47%

Tuition and required fees$27,140

Central Methodist University (CMU) is a private university in Fayette, Missouri, and offers bachelors and associate degrees. Not surprisingly considering its name, the school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Central Methodist is a private college, so it is on the small side of the best colleges for biology, with a total student population of roughly 1,144, all of which are undergraduates. Although its graduation rate of 47% is below the study’s average, CMU makes up for this with its very high proportion of biology degrees to undergraduates, at 2.88%, which is the second-highest ratio in the study. Since CMU only has undergraduates, its degrees in biology are mainly on the bachelor’s level, such as the ones below:

According to NCES data, the main biology degrees awarded by Central Methodist University in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 33 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

Drury University

Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit

Graduation rate: 60%

Tuition and required fees$33,830

Located in Springfield, Missouri, Drury University is a private university that is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Drury University is definitely on the smaller end of the spectrum of the best colleges for biology in Missouri. It has a total student population of over 1,600, of which more than 1,300 students are undergraduates. With a graduation rate of 60%, Drury University beats the study’s overall average of 51%. And, in terms of admissions, Drury University is a bit more selective than most Missouri colleges, having an undergraduate acceptance rate of 65%.

Drury University offers biology degrees only on the bachelor’s degree level, but they include rigorous and varied curriculum. The main biology programs on offer at Drury University include:

What helped make Drury University rank among the best colleges for biology is its high proportion of biology degrees versus its undergraduate population, at 2.08%. According to NCES data, the main biology degrees awarded by Drury University in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 28 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

Harris-Stowe State University

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 19%

Tuition and required fees: $6,058 for in-state | $10,690 for out-of-state

Harris–Stowe State University is a historically black public university (HBCU) located in St. Louis, Missouri. The university offers 50 majors, minors, and certificate programs in education, business, and arts and sciences, as well as being a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Harris-Stowe has a small student body, with just over 1,200 total students, all of them undergraduates. What’s truly impressive about this school is its ratio of biology degrees versus its study body: At 3.14%, it has the highest proportion of biology degrees to undergraduate students in the study. Harris-Stowe State University only offers biology degrees on the bachelor’s level, namely its Bachelor of Science in Biology.

According to NCES data, the primary biology degrees awarded by Harris-Stowe State University in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 38 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

Missouri State University

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 59%

Tuition and required fees: $8,604 for in-state | $17,144 for out-of-state

Missouri State University, formerly named Southwest Missouri State University, is a public university in Springfield, Missouri. Established in 1905 as the Fourth District Normal School, it is the state's second largest university by enrollment, being home to more than 18,800 undergraduate students and close to 23,000 students in total. MSU has a graduation rate of 59%, which is better than the study’s overall average of 51%. Several factors helped make Missouri State University rank among the best colleges for biology in Missouri, including the fact that i t awarded a combined 133 degrees in biology in one academic year — the third-largest amount in the whole study. Additionally, Missouri State University boasts a various biology programs on both the undergraduate and graduate level, including:

According to NCES data, the main biology degrees awarded by Missouri State University in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 123 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

  • Master’s degrees: 10 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

Rockhurst University

Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit

Graduation rate: 74%

Tuition and required fees$41,701

Rockhurst University is a private Jesuit university in Kansas City, Missouri. As a private college, it naturally has fewer students than most public colleges, having a total student population of over 3,600 and an undergraduate population of over 2,700. Rockhurst University stands out with its solid graduation rate of 74%, far higher than the 51% average graduation rate for the 66 Missouri colleges included in the study. In terms of admissions, Rockhurst University is on the more selective side, with an undergraduate acceptance rate of 67%. The school also has a comparatively higher proportion of biology degrees compared to undergraduates, at 1.44%, than most colleges in the study. On the other hand though, the estimated cost of tuition and required fees is on the higher end of the spectrum. Rockhurst University offers degrees in biology primarily on the bachelor’s level, including:

According to NCES data, the principal biology degrees awarded by Rockhurst University in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 39 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

Saint Louis University

Type: 4-year, private-not-profit

Graduation rate: 80%

Tuition and required fees: $50,644

Located unsurprisingly in St. Louis, Saint Louis University is a private Jesuit research university with campuses in St. Louis and Madrid, Spain. Originally founded in 1818 by Louis William Valentine DuBourg, it is the oldest university west of the Mississippi River and the second-oldest Jesuit university in the US. One factor that really stands out is Saint Louis University’s excellent graduation rate of 80%, which is one of the best rates in the study. Though a private college, Saint Louis University is pretty sizable, having a total student population of nearly 13,500 students, including a little over 8,700 undergraduate students. Saint Louis University offers a couple of programs in biology, across different degree levels. Below is a list of the principal biology programs the university has to offer, including an accelerated bachelor's-to-master's degree program, so you may want to hone your knowledge of biology if you pursue that route:

According to NCES data, the main biology degrees awarded by Saint Louis University in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 74 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

  • Master’s degrees: 3 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

  • Doctoral degrees: 6 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

Southeast Missouri State University

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 54%

Tuition and required fees: $9,015 for in-state | $15,585 for out-of-state

Southeast Missouri State University is a public university in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In addition to the main campus, the university has four regional campuses offering full degree programs. As a public college, its student body is on the larger side, but not as big as the University of Missouri or Missouri State University, having a total student population of over 9,800, including more than 8,600 undergraduate students. The graduation rate of 54% at Southeast Missouri is better than the study’s overall average.

Southeast Missouri State University is also one of the best colleges for biology in Missouri. Southeast Missouri State confers degrees in biology on the undergraduate and graduate levels. Out of its large undergraduate population, the ratio of bachelor’s degrees in biology to the undergraduate population was 1.15%, which is noticeably high for such a large public college. Below is a list of the school’s main biology programs:

According to NCES data, the principal biology degrees awarded by Southeast Missouri State University in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 99 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

  • Master’s degrees: 6 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

Truman State University

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 72%

Tuition and required fees$9,844 for in-state | $17,866 for out-of-state

Located in Kirksville, Missouri, Truman State University is a public university named for U.S. President Harry Truman, who was a Missouri native. Though a public university, Truman State is on the smaller side of the spectrum, with an undergraduate student population of nearly 3,900 and a total student population of over 4,200. Truman State University enjoys a graduation rate of 72%, which is 21 percentage points higher than the study’s average overall. Furthermore, for a public college, Truman State is relatively competitive to get into, with an undergraduate acceptance rate of 61%. Truman State University also has a great student-to-teacher ratio of 13 to 1, which is quite good for a public college.

Truman State University’s main biology programs include a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Truman State also has a comparatively high proportion of bachelor’s degrees in biology versus its undergraduate population, at 1.95%. According to NCES data, the main biology degrees awarded by Truman State in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 76 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

  • Master’s degrees: 1 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

University of Missouri-Columbia

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 73%

Tuition and required fees: $13,600 for in-state | $33,900 for out-of-state

Located in Columbia, Missouri, as its name suggests, the University of Missouri, or Mizzou, ranked as the No. 1 best college for biology in Missouri. It’s also the largest college in the state, with a total student population of over 31,000, including a little under 24,000 undergraduate students. Even with its considerable size, Mizzou boasts a comparatively high proportion of bachelor’s degrees in biology compared to its undergraduate population, at 0.89%. The university’s graduation rate of 73% is also well above the study’s average of 51%. And, for a large state school, Mizzou’s undergraduate acceptance rate of 77% is more selective than most public colleges in the state.

Biology degrees at Mizzou are provided through studies at the College of Arts and Science. As a large public college, Mizzou offers degrees in biology on multiple degree levels. Here are some of the principal biology degrees on offer from the University of Missouri:

According to NCES data, the main biology degrees awarded by Mizzou in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 210 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

  • Master’s degrees: 1 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

  • Doctoral degrees: 12 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

University of Missouri-Kansas City

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 57%

Tuition and required fees: $11,287 for in-state | $27,760 for out-of-state

Aptly located in Kansas City, the University of Missouri-Kansas City is a public research university and part of the University of Missouri System and one of only two member universities with a medical school. Like the University of Missouri-Columbia, this school is also quite large, with over 16,000 total students and just under 11,000 undergraduate students. Although its graduation rate is lower than Mizzou’s, at 57%, it’s still higher than the study’s overall average of 51%. What’s more, the University of Missouri-Kansas City is also a bit competitive to get into for a state school, having an undergraduate acceptance rate of 76%. 

The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) offers multiple levels of biology degrees for undergraduates and graduate students to pursue. Below are the main biology programs to be found at UKMC:

Furthermore, if you decide to major in a Bachelor of Science in Biology, there are a variety of concentrations you can choose to focus on, including: Bioinformatics EmphasisBiomedical Sciences EmphasisBiotechnology EmphasisCellular and Molecular Basis of Health and Disease Emphasis; and  Clinical Laboratory Science Emphasis. Additionally, according to NCES data, the main biology degrees awarded by the University of Missouri-Kansas City in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 160 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

  • Master’s degrees: 9 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

University of Missouri-St. Louis

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 58%

Tuition and required fees$11,693 for in-state | $29,960 for out-of-state

The University of Missouri–St. Louis is a public research university who home is, of course, St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1963, it is the newest of the four universities in the University of Missouri System. Often shortened to UMSL, the university had an above-average graduation rate of 58%. In terms of admissions, UMSL is on par with the Universities of Missouri-Columbia and Kansas City, sporting an undergraduate acceptance rate of 77%. This is, once again, comparatively selective for a fairly large public college, which has a total student population of over 15,000, including more than 12,300 undergraduate students. 

Like other schools in the University of Missouri System, UMSL provides biology degrees on both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Through its College of Arts & Sciences, the University of Missouri-St. Louis offers the following degrees in biology:

The fact that UMSL offers so many different and intriguing biology degrees was a major factor in helping it rank among the best colleges for biology in Missouri. Along with that, according to NCES data, the main biology degrees awarded by the University of Missouri-St. Louis in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 82 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

  • Master’s degrees: 11 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

  • Doctoral degrees: 4 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

Washington University in St. Louis

Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit

Graduation rate: 93%

Tuition and required fees: $62,982 

Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university with its main campus in St. Louis County, and Clayton, Missouri. Originally founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington and is frequently ranked among the best schools in Missouri as well as nationwide. And the university’s graduation rate and admission rate reflect its academic credentials. Washington University in St. Louis boasts the highest graduation rate in the study at 93%, which is well above the average graduation rate of 51% for the 66 Missouri colleges analyzed in our study. On top of this, Washington University’s undergraduate acceptance rate was only 13% for admissions in fall 2021, making it one of the hardest colleges to get into in the US

Washington University has several academic programs in the field of biology, with degrees on the undergraduate and graduate level. Below is a list of the main biology programs on offer at the university:

One of the many reasons that made Washington University in St. Louis rank among the best colleges for biology in Missouri is the sheer variety of degree tracks offered on both the bachelor’s level and the doctoral. When you earn a Ph.D. in biology at Washington University, there are 13 different programs to choose from. According to NCES data, the main biology degrees awarded by Washington University in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 79 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

  • Master’s degrees: 19 awarded in Biology/Biological Sciences, General.

The Bottom Line on the Best Colleges for Biology in Missouri

Missouri is home to more than five dozen colleges and universities that are four-year public or private not-for-profit institutions. And though our study includes only the top 12 best colleges for biology in Missouri, at least 40 colleges in the state that award biology degrees on the bachelor’s level. So, if you’re interested in majoring in biology or studying biology on the graduate level in Missouri, you have plenty of options.

Many schools that made our top-12 list boast high numbers of degrees in biology as well as a high proportions of degrees in biology versus their student populations. The college that awarded the most bachelor’s degrees in biology was the University of Missouri (Mizzou), with 210 conferred in the last academic year alone. On the other hand, the school with the highest proportion of bachelor’s degrees in biology compared to its undergraduate student population was Harris-Stowe State University, at 3.14%. 

The majority of these Missouri colleges are affordable, especially when compared to the prices of, say, many of the best colleges for biology in Virginia. The most expensive school to make our best biology colleges list in Missouri is Washington University in St. Louis, with an estimated cost of tuition and required fees of nearly $63,000 per year. The good news for prospective and current students is that BrokeScholar has a whole library of college scholarships for biology majors. If you win one of these scholarships, you can receive a big help in lowering the cost of attending college, be it on the undergraduate or graduate level. So, pursue your passion of biology in Missouri!

Methodology

In order to identify the best colleges for biology in Missouri, we analyzed 66 colleges and universities that fit the following criteria:

  • Are four-year private, not-for-profit institutions or public institutions.

  • Offer a degree in Biology/Biological Sciences, General, on any degree level ranging from undergraduate certificates to doctoral degrees.

These 66 colleges and universities were sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), as was data on their respective undergraduate populations; undergraduate graduation rates; the type and number of degrees awarded per academic year in marketing; and the proportion of these degrees to the undergraduate population. Tuition costs were taken from individual college websites when available, otherwise NCES was sourced.

Andrew DePietro

Author: Andrew DePietro

Senior Researcher, and Content Strategist

Andrew DePietro is a finance writer covering topics such as entrepreneurship, investing, real estate and college for BrokeScholar, Forbes, CreditKarma, and more.