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
$47,226
Avg Field Earnings
$15,799
Avg Net Price
65%
Avg Admit Rate
There are 60 accredited Microbiology programs across U.S. colleges and universities, with graduate earnings ranging from $17,200 to $73,604. San Francisco State University produces the highest-earning graduates, while the average program graduate earns $47,226 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 | San Francisco State University | San Francisco, CA | Public | $73,604 | 96% | $12,278 |
| 2 | University of California-Davis | Davis, CA | Public | $72,431 | 42% | $14,741 |
| 3 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | Amherst, MA | Public | $62,835 | 60% | $22,383 |
| 4 | Miami University-Oxford | Oxford, OH | Public | $61,315 | 75% | $28,384 |
| 5 | Washington State University | Pullman, WA | Public | $59,661 | 87% | $14,971 |
| 6 | South Dakota State University | Brookings, SD | Public | $57,608 | 98% | $19,841 |
| 7 | Oregon State University | Corvallis, OR | Public | $57,405 | 77% | $19,604 |
| 8 | Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX | Public | $57,100 | 73% | $19,070 |
| 9 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | Minneapolis, MN | Public | $56,610 | 80% | $16,778 |
| 10 | Weber State University | Ogden, UT | Public | $55,856 | N/A | $10,258 |
| 11 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo, CA | Public | $55,807 | 31% | $16,665 |
| 12 | University of California-Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | Public | $55,657 | 33% | $16,109 |
| 13 | Montana State University | Bozeman, MT | Public | $55,302 | 82% | $22,499 |
| 14 | Clemson University | Clemson, SC | Public | $55,165 | 38% | $22,253 |
| 15 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | Tempe, AZ | Public | $54,963 | 90% | $14,967 |
Best Value Microbiology Programs
Lowest net price among schools with above-median Microbiology graduate earnings (above $49,161).
#3 Best ValuePublic
San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA
Net Price
$12,278
Field Earnings
$73,604
#4 Best ValuePublic
University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
Net Price
$12,548
Field Earnings
$49,690
#5 Best ValuePublic
University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, CA
Net Price
$13,481
Field Earnings
$50,706
What the Data Tells Us
- 115 of the top 15 programs by earnings are at public universities — 0 are private nonprofits.
- 2The #1 program (San Francisco State University) pays 56% more than the average Microbiology program nationally.
- 3Average acceptance rate among Microbiology programs is 65% — selectivity varies widely by school.
- 4Best-value programs combine above-median earnings (>$49,161) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco | CA | Public | $73,604 | 96% | $12,278 |
| University of California-Davis | Davis | CA | Public | $72,431 | 42% | $14,741 |
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst | Amherst | MA | Public | $62,835 | 60% | $22,383 |
| Miami University-Oxford | Oxford | OH | Public | $61,315 | 75% | $28,384 |
| Washington State University | Pullman | WA | Public | $59,661 | 87% | $14,971 |
| South Dakota State University | Brookings | SD | Public | $57,608 | 98% | $19,841 |
| Oregon State University | Corvallis | OR | Public | $57,405 | 77% | $19,604 |
| Texas Tech University | Lubbock | TX | Public | $57,100 | 73% | $19,070 |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | Minneapolis | MN | Public | $56,610 | 80% | $16,778 |
| Weber State University | Ogden | UT | Public | $55,856 | N/A | $10,258 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo | CA | Public | $55,807 | 31% | $16,665 |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara | CA | Public | $55,657 | 33% | $16,109 |
| Montana State University | Bozeman | MT | Public | $55,302 | 82% | $22,499 |
| Clemson University | Clemson | SC | Public | $55,165 | 38% | $22,253 |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion | Tempe | AZ | Public | $54,963 | 90% | $14,967 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | Madison | WI | Public | $54,549 | 45% | $17,354 |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing | MI | Public | $54,271 | 85% | $19,680 |
| Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff | AZ | Public | $54,270 | 90% | $14,158 |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | Seattle | WA | Public | $54,238 | 39% | $14,091 |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | Fort Collins | CO | Public | $53,694 | 89% | $21,279 |
| Iowa State University | Ames | IA | Public | $52,852 | 89% | $18,589 |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus | Columbus | OH | Public | $52,639 | 61% | $17,339 |
| University of South Florida | Tampa | FL | Public | $52,436 | 43% | $9,812 |
| University of Georgia | Athens | GA | Public | $51,416 | 38% | $13,936 |
| University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | Norman | OK | Public | $51,217 | 77% | $15,300 |
| California State University-Chico | Chico | CA | Public | $50,964 | 93% | $14,480 |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington | TX | Public | $50,757 | 80% | $13,951 |
| University of California-Berkeley | Berkeley | CA | Public | $50,706 | 11% | $13,481 |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus | Fargo | ND | Public | $49,863 | 95% | $15,543 |
| University of California-Los Angeles | Los Angeles | CA | Public | $49,690 | 9% | $12,548 |
| California State University-Long Beach | Long Beach | CA | Public | $48,631 | 46% | $10,440 |
| The University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso | TX | Public | $47,183 | 100% | $9,403 |
| California State University-Northridge | Northridge | CA | Public | $46,489 | 93% | $7,021 |
| University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | La Crosse | WI | Public | $46,419 | 76% | $16,210 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson | AZ | Public | $46,380 | 86% | $16,674 |
| Texas State University | San Marcos | TX | Public | $45,793 | 89% | $16,805 |
| San Diego State University | San Diego | CA | Public | $45,360 | 36% | $15,364 |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Raleigh | NC | Public | $43,761 | 42% | $17,303 |
| University of Kansas | Lawrence | KS | Public | $43,734 | 93% | $18,059 |
| University of California-San Diego | La Jolla | CA | Public | $43,608 | 27% | $12,470 |
| University of Florida | Gainesville | FL | Public | $43,355 | 24% | $6,541 |
| University of Florida-Online | Gainesville | FL | Public | $43,355 | 61% | $4,815 |
| University of California-Riverside | Riverside | CA | Public | $43,086 | 76% | $14,304 |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Lincoln | NE | Public | $40,792 | 87% | $17,747 |
| University of Nevada-Reno | Reno | NV | Public | $39,752 | 74% | $15,927 |
| California State University-Los Angeles | Los Angeles | CA | Public | $39,266 | 91% | $3,967 |
| Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | Stillwater | OK | Public | $38,040 | 75% | $17,447 |
| New Mexico State University-Main Campus | Las Cruces | NM | Public | $36,198 | 89% | $8,889 |
| University of Idaho | Moscow | ID | Public | $36,118 | 76% | $14,831 |
| Auburn University | Auburn | AL | Public | $35,569 | 46% | $24,323 |
| Kansas State University | Manhattan | KS | Public | $35,523 | 82% | $19,406 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Humacao | Humacao | PR | Public | $35,448 | 55% | $12,675 |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German | San German | PR | Private Nonprofit | $34,981 | 42% | $9,148 |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Pittsburgh | PA | Public | $34,279 | 58% | $30,434 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez | Mayaguez | PR | Public | $32,838 | 57% | $17,936 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor | MI | Public | $32,022 | 16% | $13,138 |
| Brigham Young University | Provo | UT | Private Nonprofit | $31,833 | 68% | $15,564 |
| The University of Texas at San Antonio | San Antonio | TX | Public | $26,218 | 87% | $10,836 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo | Arecibo | PR | Public | $25,466 | 59% | $10,680 |
| University of Miami | Coral Gables | FL | Private Nonprofit | $17,200 | 19% | $37,244 |
Showing 60 of 60 schools