Best Zoology Programs in the Midwest (2026)
Updated
Regional list from Best Zoology Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 12 Zoology programs in the Midwest with a published earnings cohort. Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Zoology graduates four years after completing, highest first.
Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Midwest appear. Ohio University-Main Campus leads the list at $55,352, followed by University of Wisconsin-Madison at $50,080 and Kansas State University at $48,908.
Across the listed programs, the median earnings of graduates after completing range from $55,352 to $20,140, with a median of $43,045. For 2 of the 12 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 10 of the 12 programs, and private nonprofits for 2. University of Michigan-Flint posts the lowest average net price on the list at $7,007.
Michigan State University ranks 69th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio University-Main Campus · Athens, OH | $55,352 | $21,637 | $15,673 | 85.0% |
| Ohio University-Main Campus reports $55,352 in median earnings for its Zoology graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 167. | |||||
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI | $50,080 | $17,354 | $4,200 | 45.2% |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison admits 45% of applicants and shows median federal debt of $23,250 among Zoology completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 3 | Kansas State University · Manhattan, KS | $48,908 | $19,406 | $13,178 | 81.7% |
| Kansas State University ranks 342nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows an average net price of $19,406. | |||||
| 4 | Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN | $48,161 | $16,264 | $6,324 | 78.2% |
| Indiana University-Bloomington posts median earnings of $48,161 for its Zoology graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $6,324 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 5 | Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH | $45,501 | $17,339 | $4,885 | 60.6% |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus shows median federal debt of $21,375 among Zoology completers who borrowed and reports median earnings of $45,501 four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale · Carbondale, IL | $43,207 | $13,297 | $9,415 | 86.9% |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale reports median earnings of $43,207 for its Zoology graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 29. | |||||
| 7 | Miami University-Oxford · Oxford, OH | $42,883 | $28,384 | $16,015 | 75.4% |
| Miami University-Oxford shows an average net price of $28,384 and its Zoology graduates four years after completing earned a median of $42,883. | |||||
| 8 | Michigan State University · East Lansing, MI | $41,768 | $19,680 | $7,068 | 84.8% |
| Michigan State University ranks 69th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and admits 85% of applicants. | |||||
| 9 | Carroll University · Waukesha, WI | $39,677 | $15,193 | $15,718 | 66.8% |
| Carroll University, a private nonprofit university in Waukesha, reports median earnings of $39,677 for its Zoology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | Kent State University at Kent · Kent, OH | $35,875 | $20,787 | $15,280 | 86.3% |
| Kent State University at Kent shows median federal debt of $25,000 among Zoology completers who borrowed and reports an average net price of $20,787. | |||||
| 11 | University of Michigan-Flint · Flint, MI | $25,194 | $7,007 | $1,517 | 70.5% |
| University of Michigan-Flint reports median earnings of $25,194 for its Zoology graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 18. | |||||
| 12 | Ohio Wesleyan University · Delaware, OH | $20,140 | $20,897 | $15,412 | 55.6% |
| Ohio Wesleyan University ranks 1157th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and admits 56% of applicants. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Zoology graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Midwest appear. The figures cover federally aided completers of Zoology who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 2 of the 12 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from Ohio University-Main Campus to the lowest-ranked program is $35,212, and the gap between Ohio University-Main Campus and University of Wisconsin-Madison is $5,272.
Related rankings
- Best Colleges in the Midwest
- Biological Sciences Colleges in the Midwest for Social Mobility
- Biological Sciences Colleges in the Midwest