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General Biology at Western Michigan University

If you are interested in studying General Biology, consider the program at Western Michigan University. The following information will help you decide if it is a good fit for you.

Western Michigan University is located in Kalamazoo, MI.

In the most recent year for which we have data, 130 general biology degrees were granted at Western Michigan University.

Studying Online at Western Michigan University

Distance learning is available at Western Michigan University. Of 16,744 students, 2,238 (13%) studied exclusively online and 7,676 (46%) took at least some classes online.

General Biology Rankings at Western Michigan University

Use these rankings to compare Western Michigan University’s General Biology program to other colleges that offer this major.

Master’s-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Schools (Quality)	Michigan	#11 of 27
Best Value	Michigan	#19 of 27
Best Value	Great Lakes (Region)	#80 of 163
Best Schools (Quality)	Great Lakes (Region)	#82 of 164
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#669 of 1,249
Best Value	Nationwide	#674 of 1,237

Doctoral-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Schools (Quality)	Michigan	#11 of 27
Best Value	Michigan	#19 of 27
Best Value	Great Lakes (Region)	#80 of 163
Best Schools (Quality)	Great Lakes (Region)	#82 of 164
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#669 of 1,249
Best Value	Nationwide	#674 of 1,237

Earnings for General Biology Graduates from Western Michigan University

Students who complete Western Michigan University’s General Biology program earn at the following median levels (per the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard):

Years After Graduation	Median Earnings
1 year	$30,671
2 years	$33,162
3 years	$43,678
4 years	$49,044
5 years	$60,159

Is this above or below average for the school? Four years after graduating, General Biology graduates from Western Michigan University earn a median of $49,044, compared with $58,084 for all Western Michigan University graduates — about 16% lower than the school-wide median.

Median Debt at Graduation

Typical debt at graduation for General Biology graduates from Western Michigan University stands at $27,000.

Student Demographics & Diversity

Take a look at the student demographics for General Biology graduates at Western Michigan University, by degree type.

Program-wide, General Biology graduates at Western Michigan University are 63% women (82) and 37% men (48).

General Biology Bachelor’s Program at Western Michigan University

Among the 104 bachelor’s general biology degrees awarded at Western Michigan University, 64% were women (67) and 36% were men (37).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of General Biology bachelor’s degree recipients at Western Michigan University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	66
Hispanic / Latino	13
Black / African American	4
Asian	5
American Indian / Alaska Native	1
Two or More Races	3
International (Nonresident)	8
Unknown	4

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 25% of General Biology bachelor’s degree recipients at Western Michigan University, lower than the national average of 47%.*

General Biology Master’s Program at Western Michigan University

Of the 17 master’s general biology graduates at Western Michigan University, 65% were women (11) and 35% were men (6).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of General Biology master’s degree recipients at Western Michigan University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	11
Hispanic / Latino	2
International (Nonresident)	4

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 12% of General Biology master’s degree recipients at Western Michigan University, lower than the national average of 41%.*

General Biology Doctoral Program at Western Michigan University

Of the 9 doctoral general biology graduates at Western Michigan University, 44% were women (4) and 56% were men (5).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of General Biology doctoral degree recipients at Western Michigan University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	6
Asian	1
International (Nonresident)	2

Minority students account for 11% of General Biology doctoral degree recipients at Western Michigan University, below the national average of 26%.*

*The racial-ethnic minorities figure is the total number of graduates minus White, international (nonresident), and unknown-race graduates.

More Specific General Biology Concentrations at Western Michigan University

This General Biology program at Western Michigan University includes the following sub-specializations:

Concentration	Graduates
Biology Studies	58
General Biomedical Sciences	72

Highest-Paying Careers for General Biology Graduates

Graduates of the General Biology program at Western Michigan University go on to a range of careers. Here are the top-paying careers for General Biology majors, ordered by median annual salary:

Occupation	Nationwide Median Wage
Water Resource Specialists	$179,716
Natural Sciences Managers	$132,227
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists	$111,314
Clinical Research Coordinators	$110,931
Food Science Technicians	$100,898
Biological Technicians	$100,160
Molecular and Cellular Biologists	$100,077
Life Scientists, All Other	$97,541
Bioinformatics Scientists	$92,484
Forensic Science Technicians	$85,117

References

• IPEDS — Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
• U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard
• O*NET Online (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• National Center for Education Statistics

More about our data sources and methodologies.