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Best Biology, General Schools in Illinois

Illinois has 35 colleges offering Biology, General programs tracked by the College Scorecard, producing 1,919 recent graduates. Graduates earn $28,773 on average within two years, roughly in line with the national average of $28,618.

School choice matters significantly: Governors State University graduates earn $40,281 while Benedictine University graduates earn $15,817 — a $24,464 gap. Research each program's curriculum, employer connections, and career services before deciding.

35
Schools in IL
$28,773
IL Avg. Earnings
$28,618
National Avg.
861
Schools Nationally

Public vs Private: Biology, General in Illinois

Public Schools (10)
$31,271
avg. 2yr earnings
Private Schools (25)
$27,773
avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools in Illinois produce comparable or higher early earnings for Biology, General graduates, often at lower cost — making them strong value options.

Biology, General Schools in Illinois, Ranked by Earnings

#1
G

Governors State University

University Park, IL · Public

$40,281
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $22,886
Graduates: 19
Acceptance: N/A
#2
M

McKendree University

Lebanon, IL · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 63.9%
#3
B

Blackburn College

Carlinville, IL · Private

$33,993
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,093
Graduates: 18
Acceptance: 80.1%
#4
Q

Quincy University

Quincy, IL · Private

$33,993
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $15,421
Graduates: 17
Acceptance: 49.9%
#5
R

Rockford University

Rockford, IL · Private

$33,993
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 57.2%
#6
N

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, IL · Public

$33,459
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $35,021
Graduates: 109
Acceptance: 70.5%
#7
M

Millikin University

Decatur, IL · Private

$32,925
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $34,785
Graduates: 19
Acceptance: 54.0%
#8
W

Western Illinois University

Macomb, IL · Public

$32,772
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $29,129
Graduates: 93
Acceptance: 75.0%
#9
I

Illinois State University

Normal, IL · Public

$32,658
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $31,827
Graduates: 119
Acceptance: 89.0%
#10
N

Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago, IL · Public

$32,658
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $31,641
Graduates: 73
Acceptance: 70.4%
#11
W

Wheaton College

Wheaton, IL · Private

$32,563
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $22,429
Graduates: 18
Acceptance: 90.0%
#12
D

DePaul University

Chicago, IL · Private

$31,236
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,467
Graduates: 64
Acceptance: 73.5%
#13
S

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Edwardsville, IL · Public

$30,499
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $28,532
Graduates: 100
Acceptance: 97.2%
#14
I

Illinois College

Jacksonville, IL · Private

$30,047
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,515
Graduates: 26
Acceptance: 74.7%
#15
L

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, IL · Private

$29,832
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 59.4%
#16
R

Roosevelt University

Chicago, IL · Private

$29,685
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $26,314
Graduates: 50
Acceptance: 94.3%
#17
S

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, IL · Private

$29,685
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $29,053
Graduates: 52
Acceptance: 85.8%
#18
E

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, IL · Public

$29,413
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $28,027
Graduates: 58
Acceptance: 67.8%
#19
U

University of Illinois Springfield

Springfield, IL · Public

$28,960
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $31,446
Graduates: 25
Acceptance: 84.4%
#20
A

Aurora University

Aurora, IL · Private

$28,381
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $36,118
Graduates: 35
Acceptance: 85.1%
#21
U

University of Illinois Chicago

Chicago, IL · Public

$28,362
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $23,743
Graduates: 305
Acceptance: 78.5%
#22
E

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, IL · Private

$28,236
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $33,732
Graduates: 27
Acceptance: 75.7%
#23
I

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, IL · Private

$26,739
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 45.2%
#24
U

University of St Francis

Joliet, IL · Private

$26,739
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,799
Graduates: 21
Acceptance: 63.9%
#25
A

Augustana College

Rock Island, IL · Private

$25,774
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,342
Graduates: 69
Acceptance: 67.7%
#26
D

Dominican University

River Forest, IL · Private

$25,194
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $32,740
Graduates: 27
Acceptance: 79.8%
#27
N

North Central College

Naperville, IL · Private

$24,808
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,889
Graduates: 23
Acceptance: 58.3%
#28
N

North Park University

Chicago, IL · Private

$24,421
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $28,644
Graduates: 31
Acceptance: 72.8%
#29
L

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, IL · Private

$23,930
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $22,900
Graduates: 246
Acceptance: 81.4%
#30
U

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL · Private

$23,649
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $24,335
Graduates: 79
Acceptance: 4.8%
#31
S

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Carbondale, IL · Public

$23,649
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $28,907
Graduates: 35
Acceptance: 90.4%
#32
K

Knox College

Galesburg, IL · Private

$21,964
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $21,960
Graduates: 27
Acceptance: 71.1%
#33
N

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL · Private

$21,383
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $19,001
Graduates: 71
Acceptance: 7.1%
#34
O

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, IL · Private

$21,052
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $26,868
Graduates: 23
Acceptance: 66.9%
#35
B

Benedictine University

Lisle, IL · Private

$15,817
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $26,167
Graduates: 40
Acceptance: 77.2%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Biology, General in Illinois?
Governors State University ranks #1 for Biology, General in Illinois with median graduate earnings of $40,281 within two years of graduation. There are 35 schools offering Biology, General programs in the state.
How much do Biology, General graduates earn in Illinois?
Biology, General graduates in Illinois earn an average of $28,773 within two years of graduation. This is 1% above the national average of $28,618 for this major.
What is the hardest Biology, General school to get into in Illinois?
University of Chicago is the most selective Biology, General program in Illinois with an acceptance rate of 4.8%. The average acceptance rate across Biology, General programs in the state is 69.5%.
Should I attend a public or private school for Biology, General in Illinois?
In Illinois, private Biology, General programs produce average earnings of $27,773 vs $31,271 at public schools. However, public schools typically cost less — consider net price relative to earnings when calculating ROI. There are 10 public and 25 private options in the state.

Other Popular Majors in Illinois

Mathematics and Computer Science $76,967 Chemical Engineering $69,173 Industrial Engineering $69,102 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering $68,897 Engineering, General $67,238 Computer Science $66,656 Computer Engineering $65,978 Materials Engineering $64,773
All colleges in Illinois →

Biology, General in Other States

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Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.