Best Biology, General Schools in Illinois

Illinois has 37 colleges offering Biology, General programs tracked by the College Scorecard, producing 1,964 recent graduates. Graduates earn $28,773 on average within two years, roughly in line with the national average of $28,676.

Schools in IL

$28,773

IL Avg. Earnings

$28,676

National Avg.

981

Schools Nationally

Public vs Private: Biology, General in Illinois

Public Schools (11)

$31,271

avg. 2yr earnings

Private Schools (26)

$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

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL · Private

$21,383

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $19,001

Graduates: 71

Acceptance: 7.1%

Augustana College

Rock Island, IL · Private

$25,774

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,342

Graduates: 69

Acceptance: 67.7%

Benedictine University

Lisle, IL · Private

$15,817

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,167

Graduates: 40

Acceptance: 77.2%

Millikin University

Decatur, IL · Private

$32,925

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $34,785

Graduates: 19

Acceptance: 54.0%

Illinois State University

Normal, IL · Public

$32,658

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $31,827

Graduates: 119

Acceptance: 89.0%

Roosevelt University

Chicago, IL · Private

$29,685

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,314

Graduates: 50

Acceptance: 94.3%

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, IL · Private

$23,930

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $22,900

Graduates: 246

Acceptance: 81.4%

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, IL · Private

$26,739

2yr Earnings

Acceptance: 45.2%

DePaul University

Chicago, IL · Private

$31,236

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,467

Graduates: 64

Acceptance: 73.5%

#10

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, IL · Private

$28,236

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $33,732

Graduates: 27

Acceptance: 75.7%

#11

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Edwardsville, IL · Public

$30,499

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $28,532

Graduates: 100

Acceptance: 97.2%

#12

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, IL · Private

$29,685

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $29,053

Graduates: 52

Acceptance: 85.8%

#13

University of Illinois Springfield

Springfield, IL · Public

$28,960

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $31,446

Graduates: 25

Acceptance: 84.4%

#14

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL · Private

$23,649

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $24,335

Graduates: 79

Acceptance: 4.8%

#15

McKendree University

Lebanon, IL · Private

University of Illinois Chicago

Chicago, IL · Public

$28,362

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $23,743

Graduates: 305

Acceptance: 78.5%

#17

Lewis University

Romeoville, IL · Private

N/A

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $23,829

Graduates: 21

Acceptance: 72.7%

#18

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, IL · Private

$21,052

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,868

Graduates: 23

Acceptance: 66.9%

#19

University of St Francis

Joliet, IL · Private

$26,739

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,799

Graduates: 21

Acceptance: 63.9%

#20

North Park University

Chicago, IL · Private

$24,421

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $28,644

Graduates: 31

Acceptance: 72.8%

#21

Blackburn College

Carlinville, IL · Private

$33,993

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,093

Graduates: 18

Acceptance: 80.1%

#22

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, IL · Public

$29,413

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $28,027

Graduates: 58

Acceptance: 67.8%

#23

Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago, IL · Public

$32,658

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $31,641

Graduates: 73

Acceptance: 70.4%

#24

Knox College

Galesburg, IL · Private

$21,964

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $21,960

Graduates: 27

Acceptance: 71.1%

#25

Aurora University

Aurora, IL · Private

$28,381

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $36,118

Graduates: 35

Acceptance: 85.1%

#26

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, IL · Public

$33,459

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $35,021

Graduates: 109

Acceptance: 70.5%

#27

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Carbondale, IL · Public

$23,649

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $28,907

Graduates: 35

Acceptance: 90.4%

#28

Illinois College

Jacksonville, IL · Private

$30,047

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,515

Graduates: 26

Acceptance: 74.7%

#29

Western Illinois University

Macomb, IL · Public

$32,772

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $29,129

Graduates: 93

Acceptance: 75.0%

#30

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, IL · Private

Chicago State University

Chicago, IL · Public

N/A

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $28,475

Graduates: 24

Acceptance: 40.5%

#32

Dominican University

River Forest, IL · Private

$25,194

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $32,740

Graduates: 27

Acceptance: 79.8%

#33

Governors State University

University Park, IL · Public

$40,281

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $22,886

Graduates: 19

Acceptance: N/A

#34

Quincy University

Quincy, IL · Private

$33,993

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $15,421

Graduates: 17

Acceptance: 49.9%

#35

Rockford University

Rockford, IL · Private

Wheaton College

Wheaton, IL · Private

$32,563

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $22,429

Graduates: 18

Acceptance: 90.0%

#37

North Central College

Naperville, IL · Private

$24,808

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,889

Graduates: 23

Acceptance: 58.3%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Biology, General in Illinois?

Northwestern University ranks #1 for Biology, General in Illinois with median graduate earnings of $21,383 within two years of graduation. There are 37 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 near the national average of $28,676 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 68.8%.

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 11 public and 26 private options in the state.

Other Popular Majors in Illinois

Chemical Engineering $69,173 Computer Science $66,656 Computer Engineering $65,978 Biomedical/Medical Engineering $64,764 Civil Engineering $61,502 Construction Management $60,021 Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering $58,932 Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other $57,318

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Biology, General in Other States

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Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release.