the logo

Best universities for life sciences degrees in the US 2024

Explore the top universities in the US for life sciences using data from the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024

  • Best universities in
October 30 2023
Which US universities are best for life sciences?

Share

Top 10 universities in the US for life science degrees 2024

Scroll down for the full list of best universities in the US for life science degrees

US life sciences rank 2024Life sciences rank 2024 UniversityState
11 Harvard UniversityMassachusetts
24 Stanford UniversityCalifornia
35 Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts
46 Yale UniversityConnecticut
57 Princeton UniversityNew Jersey
68 Johns Hopkins UniversityMaryland
79 University of California, BerkeleyCalifornia
811 California Institute of TechnologyCalifornia
914 Columbia UniversityNew York
10=15 Cornell UniversityNew York

View the Times Higher Education's World University Rankings for Life Sciences 2025 here.

The life sciences cover a wide range of subjects including biology, zoology, agriculture and many others. 

Due the multiple skills that students learn on a life sciences degree, graduates will be able to use their degree to enter a range of industries and jobs. 

If you’re interested in a life sciences degree that offers flexibility and breadth, the US could be a good fit. You can choose to study across a range of courses in the life sciences and then home in on your interests in the third and fourth years.

Most veterinary medicine courses in the US are offered at the postgraduate level, and you will be expected to have completed an undergraduate degree already.

Famous US scientists include biologist Lynn Margulis, who transformed our understanding of evolution through her work on symbiosis, and Barbara McClintock, who was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1983 for her discovery of genetic transposition. 

These are the best universities in the US for a life sciences degree.


Best universities in the world for life sciences degrees
Best universities for life science degrees in Australia
Best universities for life sciences degrees in Canada
Best universities for life sciences degrees in the UK


5. Princeton University 

Princeton University follows a liberal arts curriculum, with students opting to study either a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science. Students can choose to study across a range of these subjects and declare their major in their first or second year.

Undergraduate programmes within the life sciences discipline available at Princeton include molecular biology, ecology and evolutionary biology and environmental studies.

At a postgraduate level students can choose to undertake research in a range of subjects including molecular biology and cellular biochemistry. 

Princeton University is also one of the world’s foremost research universities with connections to more than 40 Nobel laureates, 17 winners of the National Medal of Science and five recipients of the National Humanities Medal.

4. Yale University

Yale University was founded in 1701 and is the third oldest university in the United States.

Yale University in Connecticut is a member of the prestigiously known Ivy League 

Students have the option to study a range of courses covering liberal arts and science. Once you have completed your first year, you can then declare your major for your second year. This provides students with the ability to try an array of subjects before they find the perfect fit.

Postgraduate students have the ability to join the school of the environment or the graduate school of arts and science.

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Founded in 1861, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is an independent, co-educational, private research university based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

Among its 89 Nobel winners is current MIT professor H. Robert Horvitz, known for his research analysing the role of genes in animal development, and how this could be useful in tackling human disease.

At MIT you can choose between eight interdisciplinary undergraduate life science programmes, including chemistry and biology, molecular biology, and humanities and science. Within these programmes you can take an array of classes in the life sciences, covering everything from human physiology to experimental biology and biostatistics. 

There are also many options for a minor, and a range of graduate programmes specialising in the life sciences.

Scientific discoveries and technological advances accredited to MIT also include the first chemical synthesis of penicillin and the development of radar.


What can you do with an agriculture degree?
What can you do with a biology degree?
What can you do with a sports science degree?
What can you do with a veterinary science degree?


2. Stanford University

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Stanford University was founded in 1885, and has one of the largest college campuses in the US, with 18 interdisciplinary research institutes and seven schools on a single site.

Stanford’s curriculum offers considerable flexibility through its liberal arts approach.

All undergraduate students are required to take classes in writing, ways of thinking and a foreign language, alongside a major or joint major.

Within this structure, you can take courses across a range of life sciences disciplines, including kinesiology, marine biology, human biology, physiology, ecology and many more. Undergraduate students pursuing a biology major are encouraged to undertake research, either by working in a research lab on campus or taking part in the Biology Summer Undergraduate Research Programme.

The coterminal master’s programme is designed for undergraduates who want to participate in graduate-level programmes and refine their research skills. 

Stanford University is also home to many leading research institutes in the life sciences, including Bio-X, a pioneering interdisciplinary biosciences research centre, the Baxter Laboratory in Stem Cell Biology, and the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment.  

1. Harvard University

Founded in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest university in the US and a member of the prestigious Ivy League.

At undergraduate level, the university offers a four-year liberal arts and sciences programme. You can study a range of courses and only need to declare your major or concentration in your second year.

Concentrations in the life sciences include biomedical engineering, human developmental and regenerative biology, human evolutionary biology, integrative biology and molecular and cellular biology among others. 

The university also offers a master of science in a number of areas, including biostatistics, immunology and biophysics. The Harvard Integrated Life Sciences programme covers 14 different PhD programmes, which offers students the flexibility to conduct research in the areas they are most interested in. 

Harvard University has one of the largest endowments of any university in the world and is well known for its generous financial aid programme.  


Top universities in the US for the life sciences 2024

Click each institution to view its World University Rankings 2024 profile

US life sciences rank 2024Life sciences rank 2024 UniversityState
11 Harvard UniversityMassachusetts
24 Stanford UniversityCalifornia
35 Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts
46 Yale UniversityConnecticut
57 Princeton UniversityNew Jersey
68 Johns Hopkins UniversityMaryland
79 University of California, BerkeleyCalifornia
811 California Institute of TechnologyCalifornia
914 Columbia UniversityNew York
10=15 Cornell UniversityNew York
1117 University of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
1218 The University of ChicagoIllinois
1321 University of WashingtonWashington
1423 University of California, Los AngelesCalifornia
1524 University of California, San DiegoCalifornia
1625 Duke UniversityNorth Carolina
1726 University of California, DavisCalifornia
1829 University of Michigan-Ann ArborMichigan
1937 Washington University in St LouisMissouri
2039 New York UniversityNew York
21=44 University of Wisconsin-MadisonWisconsin
2250 Northwestern UniversityIllinois
2357 University of North Carolina at Chapel HillNorth Carolina
24=65 University of MinnesotaMinnesota
2567 Emory UniversityGeorgia
2670 University of MassachusettsMassachusetts
=27=72 Boston UniversityMassachusetts
=27=72 University of FloridaFlorida
=27=72 Vanderbilt UniversityTennessee
3075 University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignIllinois
3180 University of Southern CaliforniaCalifornia
32=84 Purdue University West LafayetteIndiana
3395 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh campusPennsylvania
3496 Michigan State UniversityMichigan
=35101–125 Brown UniversityRhode Island
=35101–125 University of California, IrvineCalifornia
=35101–125 University of California, Santa BarbaraCalifornia
=35101–125 Dartmouth CollegeNew Hampshire
=35101–125 Texas A&M UniversityTexas
=35101–125 University of Texas at AustinTexas
=41126–150 University of California, RiversideCalifornia
=41126–150 University of California, Santa CruzCalifornia
=41126–150 Ohio State University (Main campus)Ohio
=41126–150 Penn State (Main campus)Pennsylvania
=45151–175 University of Colorado BoulderColorado
=45151–175 Rice UniversityTexas
=47176–200 University of ArizonaArizona
=47176–200 Arizona State University (Tempe)Arizona
=47176–200 University of Hawai’i at MānoaHawai'i
=47176–200 Iowa State UniversityIowa
=47176–200 University of Maryland, College ParkMaryland
=47176–200 University of RochesterNew York
=47176–200 University of Virginia (Main campus)Virginia
=54201–250 Case Western Reserve UniversityOhio
=54201–250 Colorado State University, Fort CollinsColorado
=54201–250 University of GeorgiaGeorgia
=54201–250 University of IowaIowa
=54201–250 University of MiamiFlorida
=54201–250 North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina
=54201–250 Northeastern University, USIllinois
=54201–250 Rutgers University – New BrunswickNew Jersey
=54201–250 University of South FloridaFlorida
=54201–250 Stony Brook UniversityNew York
=54201–250 Temple UniversityPennsylvania
=54201–250 Tufts UniversityMassachusetts
=66251–300 University of California, MercedCalifornia
=66251–300 University of ConnecticutConnecticut
=66251–300 George Washington UniversityWashington DC
=66251–300 University of Illinois ChicagoIllinois
=66251–300 Indiana UniversityIndiana
=66251–300 University of Notre DameIndiana
=66251–300 University of UtahUtah
=66251–300 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginia
=66251–300 Washington State UniversityWashington
=75301–400 University of Central FloridaFlorida
=75301–400 University of DelawareDelaware
=75301–400 Florida International UniversityFlorida
=75301–400 Florida State UniversityFlorida
=75301–400 Georgetown UniversityWashington DC
=75301–400 University of KansasKansas
=75301–400 Kansas State UniversityKansas
=75301–400 University of KentuckyKentucky
=75301–400 Mizzou - University of MissouriMissouri
=75301–400 University of Nebraska-LincolnNebraska
=75301–400 The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleTennessee
=75301–400 Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia
=75301–400 Wake Forest UniversityNorth Carolina
=88401–500 University of Alaska FairbanksAlaska
=88401–500 University of ArkansasArkansas
=88401–500 Auburn UniversityAlabama
=88401–500 Brandeis UniversityMassachusetts
=88401–500 University at BuffaloNew York
=88401–500 George Mason UniversityVirginia
=88401–500 Georgia State UniversityGeorgia
=88401–500 Montana State UniversityMontana
=88401–500 University of Nebraska Medical CenterNebraska
=88401–500 University of OregonOregon
=88401–500 Saint Louis UniversityMissouri
=88401–500 University of WyomingWyoming
=100501–600 Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana
=100501–600 University of Maryland, Baltimore CountyMaryland
=100501–600 San Diego State UniversityCalifornia
=100501–600 University of South Carolina-ColumbiaSouth Carolina
=104601–800 Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida
=104601–800 University of HoustonTexas
=104601–800 University of MemphisTennessee
=104601–800 Mississippi State UniversityMississippi
=104601–800 University of Nevada, Las VegasNevada
=104601–800 New Mexico State University (Main campus)New Mexico
=104601–800 Ohio University (Main campus)Ohio
=104601–800 Oklahoma State UniversityOklahoma
=104601–800 University of Rhode IslandRhode Island
=104601–800 Syracuse UniversityNew York
=104601–800 University of Texas at ArlingtonTexas
=104601–800 University of Texas at El PasoTexas
=104601–800 University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyTexas
=104601–800 The University of Texas at San AntonioTexas
=104601–800 Texas State UniversityTexas
=104601–800 Texas Tech UniversityTexas
=104601–800 Wayne State UniversityMichigan
=104601–800 William & MaryVirginia
=122801–1000 Central Michigan UniversityMichigan
=122801–1000 Georgia Southern UniversityGeorgia
=122801–1000 Rowan UniversityNew Jersey
=122801–1000 University of South DakotaSouth Dakota

You may also like

Looking through a microscope

Top 10 universities for life sciences degrees 2025

Explore the top 10 universities for biology, veterinary science, agriculture and sport science worldwide, ranked using the latest Times Higher Education World Subject Rankings data.

February 4 2025
sticky sign up

Register free and enjoy extra benefits