Best universities for life sciences degrees in the US 2025

By Joy.Hunter@tim…, 15 July, 2025

Top universities in the US for biology and veterinary science 2025

US life sciences rank 2025Global life sciences rank 2025 UniversityOverallResearch QualityIndustryInternational OutlookResearch EnvironmentTeaching
11Harvard University98.399.299.492.999.297.4
23Massachusetts Institute of Technology97.299.591.591.994.299.6
35Stanford University96.899.410081.99598.9
46Yale University94.995.31008198.494
57Princeton University94.296.710081.191.696.3
68University of California, Berkeley93.697.899.285.392.890.6
79Johns Hopkins University92.592.59983.995.391.1
810California Institute of Technology91.795.810085.187.491.1
914Columbia University9196.280.288.890.487
10=16University of Pennsylvania89.793.176.769.593.688.9
1118Cornell University89.692.869.879.992.388.6
1219The University of Chicago88.796.970.585.485.884.4
1322University of California, Los Angeles87.396.481.267.690.778.3
1423Duke University86.890.110078.383.386.3
1524University of Washington86.79768.174.491.474.9
1625University of California, San Diego85.297.410060.588.370.9
1727University of Michigan-Ann Arbor84.890.283.975.684.380.9
1828University of California, Davis83.979.176.775.890.387.1
1938Washington University in St Louis78.196.781.370.771.262.3
2041New York University77.694.267.384.872.360.4
2144University of Wisconsin-Madison76.682.984.260.474.573.9
2250University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill72.992.2745963.360.5
2351Northwestern University72.493.472.577.659.356.5
2458University of Massachusetts70.181.577.273.658.464.8
2564Boston University68.291.473.880.550.151.4
2667University of Florida67.572.482.351.466.564.3
=27=68Emory University67.189.782.873.949.750.2
=27=68Vanderbilt University67.185.710072.551.951.3
2973Purdue University West Lafayette66.474.582.274.456.960.5
3084University of Minnesota64.877.799.743.456.257.2
3186University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign64.578.971.162.851.158.5
3288University of Southern California64.193.182.172.54440.7
33=91University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh campus63.987.397.150.254.541.3
3494Michigan State University63.476.768.864.752.156.2
=35101–125Brown University59.5–62.074.766.866.842.558.8
=35101–125Dartmouth College59.5–62.082.47662.631.359.1
=35101–125Texas A&M University59.5–62.067.170.655.656.354.5
=35101–125University of California, Irvine59.5–62.085.186.275.841.540
 101–125University of California, Santa Barbara59.5–62.095.892.674.535.926.6
=35101–125University of Texas at Austin59.5–62.089.279.543.447.541.4
=40126–150Ohio State University (Main campus)57.1–59.276.170.263.641.750.1
=40126–150Penn State (Main campus)57.1–59.282.568.65144.442.3
=40126–150University of California, Santa Cruz57.1–59.29469.265.535.725.9
=40126–150University of Virginia (Main campus)57.1–59.280.610073.633.639.1
=44151–175Rice University54.3–56.986.767.569.627.636.5
=44151–175University of Colorado Boulder54.3–56.988.572.348.139.431.6
=44151–175University of Maryland, College Park54.3–56.99065.545.930.333.5
=47176–200North Carolina State University52.3–54.267.969.555.839.243.9
=47176–200Northeastern University, US52.3–54.289.287.876.826.522.5
=47176–200University of California, Riverside52.3–54.273.481.573.638.230.9
=47176–200University of Rochester52.3–54.277.780.877.132.728.3
=51201–250Arizona State University (Tempe)49.5–52.282.568.373.32425
=51201–250Case Western Reserve University49.5–52.270.767.973.928.237
=51201–250Colorado State University, Fort Collins49.5–52.27465.640.633.138.6
=51201–250Indiana University49.5–52.273.483.560.629.929.2
=51201–250Iowa State University49.5–52.266.971.441.133.844.4
=51201–250Tufts University49.5–52.272.177.755.433.138.5
=51201–250University of Arizona49.5–52.275.670.950.736.331.8
=51201–250University of Connecticut49.5–52.284.568.964.726.621.7
=51201–250University of Georgia (USA)49.5–52.261.772.751.142.444.6
=51201–250University of Hawai’i at Mānoa49.5–52.277.664.17534.426.4
=51201–250University of Miami49.5–52.27370.269.733.529
=62251–300George Washington University46.6–49.46762.879.324.933.2
=62251–300Rutgers University–New Brunswick46.6–49.479.367.962.922.627
=62251–300Stony Brook University46.6–49.470.974.172.628.629.4
=62251–300Temple University46.6–49.482.595.944.122.920.1
=62251–300University of California, Merced46.6–49.485.162.842.718.423.3
=62251–300University of Delaware46.6–49.478.878.954.522.721.7
=62251–300University of Illinois Chicago46.6–49.473.875.563.629.625.3
=62251–300University of Iowa46.6–49.474.573.642.52832.8
=62251–300University of South Florida46.6–49.473.299.973.430.120.6
=62251–300University of Utah46.6–49.477.869.839.427.424.5
=62251–300Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University46.6–49.467.666.857.928.531.3
=62251–300Washington State University46.6–49.465.684.45830.834
=74301–400Florida International University42.0–46.572.255.954.729.717.8
=74301–400Florida State University42.0–46.572.166.854.726.924.9
=74301–400Georgetown University42.0–46.574.267.452.413.928.3
=74301–400Kansas State University42.0–46.560.571.355.422.129.5
=74301–400Mizzou - University of Missouri42.0–46.56775.855.42333
=74301–400University at Buffalo42.0–46.565.98359.42422.1
=74301–400University of Central Florida42.0–46.580.863.635.121.417.5
=74301–400University of Kansas42.0–46.564.599.649.631.424.9
=74301–400University of Kentucky42.0–46.565.768.452.425.327.2
=74301–400University of Nebraska-Lincoln42.0–46.567.163.570.319.724.9
=74301–400University of Notre Dame42.0–46.56087.358.828.631
=74301–400Virginia Commonwealth University42.0–46.571.683.43927.317.8
=74301–400Wake Forest University42.0–46.575.488.941.617.926.8
=87401–500Auburn University37.8–41.851.156.36022.531.6
=87401–500George Mason University37.8–41.871.152.657.61219.4
=87401–500Saint Louis University37.8–41.871.764.644.612.916.6
=87401–500The University of Tennessee-Knoxville37.8–41.860.96754.920.627.6
=87401–500Tulane University37.8–41.857.967.854.12127
=87401–500University of Alaska Fairbanks37.8–41.8524166.722.925.3
=87401–500University of Arkansas37.8–41.862.772.835.428.121.7
=87401–500University of Nebraska Medical Center37.8–41.861.466.960.214.724.2
=87401–500University of Oregon37.8–41.861.448.443.417.929.1
=87401–500University of Texas at Dallas37.8–41.864.777.54022.620.3
=97501–600Brandeis University34.7–37.743.769.47219.628.8
=97501–600Georgia State University34.7–37.762.849.257.411.820.5
=97501–600Louisiana State University34.7–37.761.857.649.814.521.1
=97501–600San Diego State University34.7–37.764.162.740.19.818.4
=97501–600University of Rhode Island34.7–37.757.945.553.916.116.4
=97501–600University of South Carolina-Columbia34.7–37.762.558.557.912.717.7
=103601–800Florida Atlantic University27.6–34.646.739.761.11112.7
=103601–800Mississippi State University27.6–34.652.64549.514.522.3
=103601–800Montana State University27.6–34.652.975.843.217.618.3
=103601–800New Mexico State University (Main campus)27.6–34.648.344.743.813.115.7
=103601–800Ohio University (Main campus)27.6–34.652.655.647.317.420.7
=103601–800Oklahoma State University27.6–34.646.94853.413.825.6
=103601–800South Dakota State University27.6–34.653.239.841.913.916.7
=103601–800SUNY University at Albany27.6–34.640.165.954.611.814.9
=103601–800Texas Tech University27.6–34.653.344.45814.720.9
=103601–800The University of Alabama27.6–34.654.136.434.42013.1
=103601–800The University of Texas at San Antonio27.6–34.652.44733.612.912.4
=103601–800University of Houston27.6–34.65162.272.616.812.6
=103601–800University of Maryland, Baltimore County27.6–34.642.661.639.518.520
=103601–800University of Memphis27.6–34.649.136.636.19.315
=103601–800University of Nevada, Las Vegas27.6–34.654.133.934.317.416.6
=103601–800University of Texas at Arlington27.6–34.642.748.340.914.218.8
=103601–800University of Texas at El Paso27.6–34.653.534.840.920.615.6
=103601–800University of Wyoming27.6–34.652.451.438.215.523.1
=103601–800Wayne State University27.6–34.653.868.639.212.121.1
=103601–800William & Mary27.6–34.643.622.832.910.424.7
=123801–1000Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University20.8–27.535.220.759.514.712.7
=123801–1000Oakland University20.8–27.538.545.430.813.114.3
=123801–1000Rowan University20.8–27.532.730.236.69.411.9
=123801–1000Southern Illinois University Carbondale20.8–27.540.550.954.19.716.6
=123801–1000Syracuse University20.8–27.542.352.839.412.315.7
=123801–1000Texas State University20.8–27.542.636.150.514.112.8
=123801–1000University of Nebraska Omaha20.8–27.534.339.841.69.212.3
=123801–1000University of Texas Rio Grande Valley20.8–27.550.21945.87.410
=1311001+Central Michigan University10.8–20.729.114.529.310.315
=1311001+University of South Dakota10.8–20.729.23727.510.413.5

Key insights into the top universities for life sciences in the US

  • Harvard University is the top university for life sciences in the US for 2025
  • There are 132 US universities ranked in total 
  • Stanford University, Yale University and Princeton University all achieved perfect scores for their links to industry
  • The ranking for life sciences rank universites that teach courses in biology, veterinary medicine, biochemistry, agriculture and forestry and sport science. 

Choosing the right university for life sciences in the US

Choosing the best school for biology, agriculture or sports science is a crucial step for prospective students. The Times Higher Education Life Science Rankings help identify universities with strong reputations in teaching, research, and industry collaboration.

The table for the best universities for life sciences in the US was derived from data collected for the THE World University Subject Rankings. The results are calculated using 18 performance indicators underlying five metrics: research environment, teaching (the learning environment), research quality, industry and international outlook. For more insights and a detailed breakdown of our ranking methodology, visit our methodology page. Use the ranking table above to explore the right institution for you. 

 

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Discover the Times Higher Education rankings for the best life science schools in the US 2025. 

This list highlights the top-ranked universities for biology and agriculture in the US, based on the Times Higher Education Subject Rankings: Life Sciences 2025. These rankings provide valuable insights into the leading institutions for life sciences education and research. 

A total of 132 US universities have been ranked for their excellence in teaching, research, industry collaboration, and international outlook.

The rankings are based on a rigorous methodology designed by Times Higher Education’s data experts, ensuring accuracy and reliability for students, academics, and industry leaders worldwide. 

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