Best Colleges for Microbiology (2026)
60 programs ranked by graduate earnings, acceptance rates, and outcomes — powered by federal data from the U.S. Department of Education.
60
Programs
$61,822
Avg Field Earnings
$16,082
Avg Net Price
64%
Avg Admit Rate
There are 60 accredited Microbiology programs across U.S. colleges and universities, with graduate earnings ranging from $17,200 to $103,546. University of California-Berkeley produces the highest-earning graduates, while the average program graduate earns $61,822 within four years of completion. Whether you're focused on maximizing earning potential or finding the best value, this data — sourced from the U.S. Department of Education — helps you compare programs side by side.
Quick Facts — Microbiology Programs
Top 15 Colleges for Microbiology by Graduate Earnings
Ranked by field-specific earnings after graduation. Public and private nonprofit only.
| # | School | Location | Type | Earnings | Admit Rate | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | Public | $103,546 | 11% | $13,481 |
| 2 | University of California-Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | Public | $90,061 | 33% | $16,109 |
| 3 | San Francisco State University | San Francisco, CA | Public | $85,037 | 96% | $12,278 |
| 4 | Clemson University | Clemson, SC | Public | $81,526 | 38% | $22,253 |
| 5 | San Diego State University | San Diego, CA | Public | $81,122 | 36% | $15,364 |
| 6 | Miami University-Oxford | Oxford, OH | Public | $77,163 | 75% | $28,384 |
| 7 | Washington State University | Pullman, WA | Public | $76,384 | 87% | $14,971 |
| 8 | California State University-Chico | Chico, CA | Public | $74,888 | 93% | $14,480 |
| 9 | University of California-Davis | Davis, CA | Public | $74,343 | 42% | $14,741 |
| 10 | California State University-Long Beach | Long Beach, CA | Public | $73,988 | 46% | $10,440 |
| 11 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | Seattle, WA | Public | $73,944 | 39% | $14,091 |
| 12 | University of California-Riverside | Riverside, CA | Public | $72,295 | 76% | $14,304 |
| 13 | Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX | Public | $69,628 | 73% | $19,070 |
| 14 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | Fort Collins, CO | Public | $69,269 | 89% | $21,279 |
| 15 | Indiana University-Bloomington | Bloomington, IN | Public | $69,128 | 78% | $16,264 |
Best Value Microbiology Programs
Lowest net price among schools with above-median Microbiology graduate earnings (above $64,469).
#1 Best ValuePublic
California State University-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
Net Price
$3,967
Field Earnings
$65,366
#3 Best ValuePublic
California State University-Long BeachLong Beach, CA
Net Price
$10,440
Field Earnings
$73,988
#4 Best ValuePublic
San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA
Net Price
$12,278
Field Earnings
$85,037
#5 Best ValuePublic
University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
Net Price
$12,548
Field Earnings
$65,024
What the Data Tells Us
- 115 of the top 15 programs by earnings are at public universities — 0 are private nonprofits.
- 2The #1 program (University of California-Berkeley) pays 67% more than the average Microbiology program nationally.
- 3Average acceptance rate among Microbiology programs is 64% — selectivity varies widely by school.
- 4Best-value programs combine above-median earnings (>$64,469) with lower-than-average net prices.
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Find my Microbiology programAll Microbiology Programs
All 60 institutions offering Microbiology. Click column headers to sort. Includes for-profit institutions.
| School | City | State | Type | Field Earnings | Admit Rate | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California-Berkeley | Berkeley | CA | Public | $103,546 | 11% | $13,481 |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara | CA | Public | $90,061 | 33% | $16,109 |
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco | CA | Public | $85,037 | 96% | $12,278 |
| Clemson University | Clemson | SC | Public | $81,526 | 38% | $22,253 |
| San Diego State University | San Diego | CA | Public | $81,122 | 36% | $15,364 |
| Miami University-Oxford | Oxford | OH | Public | $77,163 | 75% | $28,384 |
| Washington State University | Pullman | WA | Public | $76,384 | 87% | $14,971 |
| California State University-Chico | Chico | CA | Public | $74,888 | 93% | $14,480 |
| University of California-Davis | Davis | CA | Public | $74,343 | 42% | $14,741 |
| California State University-Long Beach | Long Beach | CA | Public | $73,988 | 46% | $10,440 |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | Seattle | WA | Public | $73,944 | 39% | $14,091 |
| University of California-Riverside | Riverside | CA | Public | $72,295 | 76% | $14,304 |
| Texas Tech University | Lubbock | TX | Public | $69,628 | 73% | $19,070 |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | Fort Collins | CO | Public | $69,269 | 89% | $21,279 |
| Indiana University-Bloomington | Bloomington | IN | Public | $69,128 | 78% | $16,264 |
| Weber State University | Ogden | UT | Public | $68,597 | N/A | $10,258 |
| University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | La Crosse | WI | Public | $68,454 | 76% | $16,210 |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | Minneapolis | MN | Public | $68,398 | 80% | $16,778 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | Madison | WI | Public | $68,397 | 45% | $17,354 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg | VA | Public | $67,253 | 55% | $24,953 |
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst | Amherst | MA | Public | $66,642 | 60% | $22,383 |
| Brigham Young University | Provo | UT | Private Nonprofit | $66,603 | 68% | $15,564 |
| University of Nevada-Reno | Reno | NV | Public | $66,355 | 74% | $15,927 |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus | Columbus | OH | Public | $66,222 | 61% | $17,339 |
| University of Kansas | Lawrence | KS | Public | $65,861 | 93% | $18,059 |
| Texas State University | San Marcos | TX | Public | $65,502 | 89% | $16,805 |
| California State University-Los Angeles | Los Angeles | CA | Public | $65,366 | 91% | $3,967 |
| University of Vermont | Burlington | VT | Public | $65,120 | 65% | $19,343 |
| University of California-Los Angeles | Los Angeles | CA | Public | $65,024 | 9% | $12,548 |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Raleigh | NC | Public | $64,510 | 42% | $17,303 |
| University of California-San Diego | La Jolla | CA | Public | $64,428 | 27% | $12,470 |
| University of Florida | Gainesville | FL | Public | $64,285 | 24% | $6,541 |
| University of Florida-Online | Gainesville | FL | Public | $64,285 | 61% | $4,815 |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus | Fargo | ND | Public | $64,014 | 95% | $15,543 |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Lincoln | NE | Public | $62,095 | 87% | $17,747 |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing | MI | Public | $61,953 | 85% | $19,680 |
| Auburn University | Auburn | AL | Public | $61,323 | 46% | $24,323 |
| University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | Norman | OK | Public | $61,165 | 77% | $15,300 |
| Montana State University | Bozeman | MT | Public | $60,221 | 82% | $22,499 |
| Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | Stillwater | OK | Public | $59,979 | 75% | $17,447 |
| Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff | AZ | Public | $58,491 | 90% | $14,158 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor | MI | Public | $57,890 | 16% | $13,138 |
| University of South Florida | Tampa | FL | Public | $57,628 | 43% | $9,812 |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion | Tempe | AZ | Public | $57,244 | 90% | $14,967 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo | CA | Public | $55,807 | 31% | $16,665 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson | AZ | Public | $55,784 | 86% | $16,674 |
| The University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso | TX | Public | $53,992 | 100% | $9,403 |
| Oregon State University | Corvallis | OR | Public | $53,349 | 77% | $19,604 |
| Iowa State University | Ames | IA | Public | $49,875 | 89% | $18,589 |
| The University of Texas at San Antonio | San Antonio | TX | Public | $46,726 | 87% | $10,836 |
| California State University-Northridge | Northridge | CA | Public | $46,489 | 93% | $7,021 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Humacao | Humacao | PR | Public | $45,816 | 55% | $12,675 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez | Mayaguez | PR | Public | $40,501 | 57% | $17,936 |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington | TX | Public | $40,101 | 80% | $13,951 |
| University of Georgia | Athens | GA | Public | $37,864 | 38% | $13,936 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo | Arecibo | PR | Public | $37,027 | 59% | $10,680 |
| Kansas State University | Manhattan | KS | Public | $35,523 | 82% | $19,406 |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Pittsburgh | PA | Public | $34,279 | 58% | $30,434 |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German | San German | PR | Private Nonprofit | $33,355 | 42% | $9,148 |
| University of Miami | Coral Gables | FL | Private Nonprofit | $17,200 | 19% | $37,244 |
Showing 60 of 60 schools