Best universities for life sciences degrees in the US 2026
Discover the 糖心Vlog rankings for the best life science schools in the US 2026.
This list highlights the top-ranked universities for biology and agriculture in the US, based on the 糖心Vlog Subject Rankings: Life Sciences 2026. These rankings provide valuable insights into the leading institutions for life sciences education and research.
A total of 134 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 糖心Vlog鈥檚 data experts, ensuring accuracy and reliability for students, academics, and industry leaders worldwide.
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Top universities in the US for biology and veterinary science 2026
| US Life Sciences Rank 2026 | Global Life Sciences Rank 2026 | University | Overall | Teaching | Research Environment | Research Quality | Industry | International Outlook |
| 1 | 1 | Harvard University | 97.8 | 96.4 | 99.4 | 98.8 | 98.8 | 92.1 |
| 2 | 3 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 96.9 | 99.3 | 93.5 | 99.4 | 94.8 | 90.1 |
| 3 | 4 | Stanford University | 96.6 | 98.3 | 94.9 | 99.3 | 100 | 82.2 |
| 4 | 6 | Yale University | 95.1 | 93.6 | 98.3 | 95.9 | 99.5 | 82.5 |
| 5 | 7 | Princeton University | 94.6 | 95.9 | 92.7 | 97.5 | 99.2 | 80.1 |
| 6 | 8 | University of California, Berkeley | 93.5 | 90.5 | 92.4 | 97.6 | 99.6 | 85.2 |
| =7 | =9 | California Institute of Technology | 92.2 | 92.6 | 87.9 | 96.2 | 100 | 83.3 |
| =7 | =9 | Johns Hopkins University | 92.2 | 92.3 | 94.7 | 91.6 | 96.1 | 83.7 |
| 9 | 15 | Columbia University | 90.6 | 87.7 | 90.1 | 95.1 | 78.8 | 88.8 |
| 10 | 16 | Cornell University | 90.2 | 93.3 | 92.4 | 91.2 | 69.7 | 77.4 |
| 11 | 17 | University of Pennsylvania | 89.5 | 88.9 | 93.9 | 92.4 | 75.7 | 69.5 |
| 12 | 20 | The University of Chicago | 88 | 83.7 | 82.3 | 97 | 81.4 | 84.8 |
| 13 | 22 | University of Washington | 87.1 | 78.1 | 91.1 | 96.3 | 67.4 | 73.3 |
| 14 | 23 | University of California, Los Angeles | 86.6 | 78.8 | 89.6 | 95.6 | 80.9 | 64.7 |
| 15 | 25 | Duke University | 85.4 | 86 | 80.2 | 89.2 | 100 | 76.1 |
| 16 | 26 | University of California, Davis | 84 | 87 | 90.4 | 77.8 | 81.7 | 80.8 |
| 17 | 27 | University of California, San Diego | 83.7 | 72.5 | 80.3 | 96.3 | 100 | 68.2 |
| 18 | 28 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 83.6 | 80.6 | 82.1 | 88.7 | 81.8 | 76.1 |
| =19 | =40 | New York University | 77 | 61.5 | 70.8 | 93.3 | 66.5 | 83.7 |
| =19 | =40 | Washington University in St Louis | 77 | 61.4 | 68.6 | 96.9 | 71 | 72.1 |
| 21 | 45 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 75.7 | 74.6 | 73.6 | 80.6 | 82.9 | 60 |
| 22 | 52 | Northwestern University | 72.1 | 57.3 | 58.8 | 92.4 | 66.6 | 79.3 |
| 23 | 58 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 70.6 | 59.5 | 59.6 | 89.8 | 73.1 | 57.8 |
| 24 | 62 | Boston University | 68.1 | 50.5 | 49.2 | 92.1 | 81.9 | 78.3 |
| 25 | 63 | University of Florida | 68 | 67.1 | 68 | 70.2 | 85.3 | 51.8 |
| 26 | =66 | University of Massachusetts | 67.1 | 57.3 | 54.3 | 81.8 | 77.7 | 73.1 |
| 27 | 69 | Vanderbilt University | 66.6 | 48.2 | 51.4 | 86.9 | 100 | 72.2 |
| 28 | 70 | Emory University | 66.5 | 48.1 | 49.5 | 89.8 | 81.8 | 75.1 |
| 29 | 79 | Purdue University West Lafayette | 65 | 57.8 | 56.1 | 72.7 | 85.3 | 74.9 |
| 30 | =80 | Michigan State University | 64.8 | 59.4 | 57.9 | 74.1 | 65.8 | 64.6 |
| 31 | =85 | University of Minnesota | 64.3 | 56.6 | 58.7 | 74.6 | 100 | 44.6 |
| 32 | 89 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | 63.8 | 55.1 | 50.4 | 80.1 | 68.6 | 63.6 |
| 33 | =91 | University of Southern California | 63.4 | 41 | 41.5 | 93.2 | 80.8 | 71.6 |
| 34 | 99 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh campus | 62.5 | 40.6 | 54 | 84.9 | 94.9 | 49.1 |
| =35 | 101鈥125 | Brown University | 59.1鈥62.1 | 55.9 | 41.2 | 72.3 | 65.9 | 67.8 |
| =35 | 101鈥125 | Dartmouth College | 59.1鈥62.1 | 62.7 | 32 | 81.3 | 75.6 | 64.2 |
| =35 | 101鈥125 | Ohio State University (Main campus) | 59.1鈥62.1 | 50.9 | 45.6 | 74.3 | 70.2 | 63.3 |
| =35 | 101鈥125 | Texas A&M University | 59.1鈥62.1 | 55.1 | 54.3 | 66.5 | 71.1 | 56.5 |
| =35 | 101鈥125 | University of California, Irvine | 59.1鈥62.1 | 37.1 | 39.6 | 84.6 | 90.1 | 76 |
| =35 | 101鈥125 | University of Texas at Austin | 59.1鈥62.1 | 41.9 | 46.1 | 88.9 | 79.4 | 43.7 |
| =41 | 126鈥150 | Penn State (Main campus) | 57.0鈥59.0 | 42.4 | 44.8 | 80 | 67.6 | 52.7 |
| =41 | 126鈥150 | Rice University | 57.0鈥59.0 | 39.1 | 32.5 | 89.2 | 74.3 | 68.1 |
| =41 | 126鈥150 | University of California, Santa Barbara | 57.0鈥59.0 | 29.6 | 32.2 | 95.4 | 82.9 | 75.5 |
| =41 | 126鈥150 | University of California, Santa Cruz | 57.0鈥59.0 | 31.3 | 36 | 93.1 | 67.7 | 69.3 |
| =41 | 126鈥150 | University of Virginia (Main campus) | 57.0鈥59.0 | 41.2 | 33.3 | 82 | 94.1 | 76.2 |
| =46 | 151鈥175 | University of California, Riverside | 54.6鈥56.9 | 36.5 | 39.4 | 73.1 | 81.3 | 73 |
| =46 | 151鈥175 | University of Colorado Boulder | 54.6鈥56.9 | 34.1 | 37.2 | 86.4 | 77 | 46.2 |
| =46 | 151鈥175 | University of Maryland, College Park | 54.6鈥56.9 | 35.8 | 32 | 88.3 | 66.4 | 46.8 |
| =49 | 176鈥200 | North Carolina State University | 52.5鈥54.5 | 42.9 | 43.1 | 65 | 70.3 | 56.7 |
| =49 | 176鈥200 | Northeastern University, US | 52.5鈥54.5 | 19.4 | 28.6 | 88.1 | 92.4 | 77.5 |
| =49 | 176鈥200 | Tufts University | 52.5鈥54.5 | 41.2 | 33.6 | 72.4 | 99 | 55.9 |
| =49 | 176鈥200 | University of Rochester | 52.5鈥54.5 | 31.9 | 35.6 | 76.6 | 77.6 | 76.9 |
| =53 | 201鈥250 | Arizona State University (Tempe) | 49.6鈥52.4 | 27 | 23.9 | 83.2 | 67.9 | 74.2 |
| =53 | 201鈥250 | Case Western Reserve University | 49.6鈥52.4 | 37.9 | 30.5 | 69.4 | 68.2 | 71.8 |
| =53 | 201鈥250 | Rutgers University鈥揘ew Brunswick | 49.6鈥52.4 | 31.9 | 26.5 | 79 | 68.9 | 60.7 |
| =53 | 201鈥250 | University of Arizona | 49.6鈥52.4 | 31.2 | 36.2 | 74 | 72 | 52.7 |
| =53 | 201鈥250 | University of Georgia (USA) | 49.6鈥52.4 | 42.3 | 38.7 | 59.2 | 68.5 | 58.9 |
| =53 | 201鈥250 | University of Hawai鈥檌 at M膩noa | 49.6鈥52.4 | 24.7 | 35.2 | 72.6 | 65.6 | 74.6 |
| =59 | 251鈥300 | Colorado State University, Fort Collins | 47.1鈥49.5 | 38.2 | 31.3 | 71.2 | 64.8 | 43.8 |
| =59 | 251鈥300 | Florida State University | 47.1鈥49.5 | 26 | 29.6 | 73.3 | 68.6 | 54.7 |
| =59 | 251鈥300 | George Washington University | 47.1鈥49.5 | 33.8 | 25.5 | 67 | 63.6 | 78.9 |
| =59 | 251鈥300 | Indiana University | 47.1鈥49.5 | 29.9 | 30.8 | 68.9 | 84.4 | 62 |
| =59 | 251鈥300 | Iowa State University | 47.1鈥49.5 | 43.6 | 31.3 | 64.7 | 71.3 | 39.5 |
| =59 | 251鈥300 | Stony Brook University | 47.1鈥49.5 | 27.4 | 27.3 | 70.5 | 76.4 | 71.3 |
| =59 | 251鈥300 | Temple University | 47.1鈥49.5 | 20.7 | 22.8 | 83.6 | 98.7 | 45.3 |
| =59 | 251鈥300 | University of Connecticut | 47.1鈥49.5 | 24.9 | 20.8 | 79.5 | 67.4 | 71.7 |
| =59 | 251鈥300 | University of Illinois Chicago | 47.1鈥49.5 | 25.9 | 29.4 | 72 | 73.8 | 60.1 |
| =59 | 251鈥300 | University of Miami | 47.1鈥49.5 | 30.6 | 30.1 | 71.5 | 71.2 | 69.8 |
| =59 | 251鈥300 | University of South Florida | 47.1鈥49.5 | 21.7 | 30.4 | 69.2 | 100 | 75.1 |
| =59 | 251鈥300 | University of Utah | 47.1鈥49.5 | 27.8 | 27.3 | 77.5 | 67.3 | 39.7 |
| =59 | 251鈥300 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 47.1鈥49.5 | 33.7 | 27.2 | 69.6 | 66.9 | 59.2 |
| =59 | 251鈥300 | Washington State University | 47.1鈥49.5 | 34.4 | 32.2 | 66.3 | 83.4 | 56.4 |
| =73 | 301鈥400 | Florida International University | 42.4鈥47.0 | 19.6 | 29.5 | 65.1 | 54.8 | 55.7 |
| =73 | 301鈥400 | Georgetown University | 42.4鈥47.0 | 29.8 | 18.6 | 73.6 | 71.6 | 49.1 |
| =73 | 301鈥400 | Mizzou - University of Missouri | 42.4鈥47.0 | 31.3 | 26.2 | 68.2 | 74.1 | 56.2 |
| =73 | 301鈥400 | University of California, Merced | 42.4鈥47.0 | 23.4 | 16.2 | 84.8 | 46 | 45.5 |
| =73 | 301鈥400 | University of Central Florida | 42.4鈥47.0 | 17.2 | 20.1 | 82.6 | 63.3 | 35.6 |
| =73 | 301鈥400 | University of Delaware | 42.4鈥47.0 | 22.7 | 23.4 | 74 | 78.2 | 54.7 |
| =73 | 301鈥400 | University of Iowa | 42.4鈥47.0 | 31.9 | 27.8 | 69.7 | 70.2 | 44.2 |
| =73 | 301鈥400 | University of Kansas | 42.4鈥47.0 | 24.1 | 31.5 | 66.8 | 98.8 | 48.6 |
| =73 | 301鈥400 | University of Kentucky | 42.4鈥47.0 | 27.7 | 24.4 | 64.8 | 69.2 | 52.2 |
| =73 | 301鈥400 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 42.4鈥47.0 | 27.9 | 23.1 | 64.4 | 64.5 | 66.8 |
| =73 | 301鈥400 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 42.4鈥47.0 | 19.5 | 26.6 | 70 | 86.4 | 39.1 |
| =73 | 301鈥400 | Wake Forest University | 42.4鈥47.0 | 25.6 | 14.3 | 75.9 | 80.4 | 40.3 |
| =85 | 401鈥500 | Auburn University | 38.8鈥42.2 | 33.9 | 25.4 | 51.9 | 58.1 | 60 |
| =85 | 401鈥500 | Kansas State University | 38.8鈥42.2 | 32.6 | 23.4 | 57.4 | 73.6 | 54.6 |
| =85 | 401鈥500 | Tulane University | 38.8鈥42.2 | 27.3 | 22.1 | 60.8 | 67.3 | 57.7 |
| =85 | 401鈥500 | University at Buffalo | 38.8鈥42.2 | 23.6 | 22 | 63.7 | 69.2 | 59.4 |
| =85 | 401鈥500 | University of Arkansas | 38.8鈥42.2 | 22.4 | 27.3 | 61.3 | 73.9 | 38.7 |
| =85 | 401鈥500 | University of Nebraska Medical Center | 38.8鈥42.2 | 24 | 16 | 63.5 | 68 | 60.1 |
| =85 | 401鈥500 | University of Notre Dame | 38.8鈥42.2 | 24.7 | 25.5 | 59.9 | 69.1 | 58 |
| =92 | 501鈥600 | Brandeis University | 35.5鈥38.7 | 29.3 | 19.9 | 46.7 | 67.3 | 73.9 |
| =92 | 501鈥600 | George Mason University | 35.5鈥38.7 | 19.2 | 11.9 | 64.1 | 53.8 | 56.9 |
| =92 | 501鈥600 | Georgia State University | 35.5鈥38.7 | 21 | 12.9 | 60.1 | 51.3 | 60.7 |
| =92 | 501鈥600 | Mississippi State University | 35.5鈥38.7 | 22.3 | 16.4 | 57.8 | 44.2 | 50.9 |
| =92 | 501鈥600 | Saint Louis University | 35.5鈥38.7 | 17.7 | 12.8 | 68.2 | 66.8 | 52 |
| =92 | 501鈥600 | Texas Tech University | 35.5鈥38.7 | 20.9 | 15.7 | 54.8 | 48.5 | 60.5 |
| =92 | 501鈥600 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 35.5鈥38.7 | 21.3 | 21.6 | 57.4 | 68 | 55.2 |
| =92 | 501鈥600 | University of Alaska Fairbanks | 35.5鈥38.7 | 21.8 | 22.1 | 51.8 | 48.3 | 66.7 |
| =92 | 501鈥600 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 35.5鈥38.7 | 15.6 | 12.9 | 63.5 | 59.8 | 57.9 |
| =92 | 501鈥600 | University of Texas at Dallas | 35.5鈥38.7 | 19.4 | 17.6 | 62.1 | 72.5 | 47.7 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 29.3鈥35.4 | 16.8 | 15.7 | 44.7 | 25.5 | 59.7 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | Louisiana State University | 29.3鈥35.4 | 21.6 | 14.8 | 51.5 | 52.8 | 49.2 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | Montana State University | 29.3鈥35.4 | 16.9 | 19.1 | 51.7 | 75.2 | 44.5 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | New Mexico State University (Main campus) | 29.3鈥35.4 | 17.7 | 14.7 | 54.7 | 45.3 | 45 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | Ohio University (Main campus) | 29.3鈥35.4 | 18 | 16.6 | 51.2 | 55.3 | 47.7 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | Oklahoma State University | 29.3鈥35.4 | 26.1 | 14.1 | 50.5 | 47.2 | 55.1 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | San Diego State University | 29.3鈥35.4 | 16.8 | 10.2 | 58.3 | 62.9 | 39.7 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | Syracuse University | 29.3鈥35.4 | 17.4 | 11.3 | 50.3 | 50.8 | 56.8 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | The University of Alabama | 29.3鈥35.4 | 15.4 | 17.5 | 50.1 | 38 | 34.7 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | University of Houston | 29.3鈥35.4 | 16.9 | 18.4 | 51.6 | 63.6 | 70.6 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | University of Maryland, Baltimore County | 29.3鈥35.4 | 19.9 | 18.7 | 43.6 | 64.5 | 37.7 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | University of Missouri-Kansas City | 29.3鈥35.4 | 12.9 | 12.8 | 50.7 | 57.5 | 34.5 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | University of Nevada, Las Vegas | 29.3鈥35.4 | 16.2 | 17.6 | 58.5 | 36.1 | 38.7 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | University of Oregon | 29.3鈥35.4 | 25 | 16.9 | 54.3 | 48.9 | 40.5 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | University of Rhode Island | 29.3鈥35.4 | 15.3 | 17.6 | 56.9 | 47.9 | 55.4 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | University of Texas at Arlington | 29.3鈥35.4 | 18.4 | 14.1 | 46 | 51.5 | 42.1 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | University of Texas at El Paso | 29.3鈥35.4 | 18.7 | 20.6 | 53.5 | 36.6 | 41.6 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | University of Wyoming | 29.3鈥35.4 | 23.3 | 12.5 | 49.7 | 52.3 | 38 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | Wayne State University | 29.3鈥35.4 | 20.4 | 12.7 | 50.8 | 70.1 | 41.8 |
| =102 | 601鈥800 | William & Mary | 29.3鈥35.4 | 23.8 | 17.4 | 43.2 | 33.3 | 33.2 |
| =122 | 801鈥1000 | Florida Atlantic University | 23.4鈥29.1 | 14.7 | 12.1 | 44.2 | 43.9 | 57.4 |
| =122 | 801鈥1000 | Oakland University | 23.4鈥29.1 | 15.7 | 14.4 | 45.3 | 56.4 | 36.7 |
| =122 | 801鈥1000 | SUNY University at Albany | 23.4鈥29.1 | 16.1 | 8.5 | 41.3 | 66.8 | 54.2 |
| =122 | 801鈥1000 | Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 23.4鈥29.1 | 17.6 | 11 | 35.7 | 52.5 | 53.8 |
| =122 | 801鈥1000 | Texas State University | 23.4鈥29.1 | 12.2 | 15.8 | 41 | 38.1 | 52.8 |
| =122 | 801鈥1000 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 23.4鈥29.1 | 12.4 | 12.5 | 47.5 | 46.6 | 32.3 |
| =122 | 801鈥1000 | University of Memphis | 23.4鈥29.1 | 14.6 | 9.5 | 48.3 | 36.3 | 45.1 |
| =122 | 801鈥1000 | University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 23.4鈥29.1 | 9.9 | 7.5 | 47.5 | 20.4 | 47.5 |
| =130 | 1001+ | Central Michigan University | 10.9鈥23.3 | 17.9 | 11.3 | 29.7 | 29.8 | 30.9 |
| =130 | 1001+ | Georgia Southern University | 10.9鈥23.3 | 8.6 | 8.5 | 29.4 | 19.3 | 36.5 |
| =130 | 1001+ | Rowan University | 10.9鈥23.3 | 12.1 | 10.5 | 36.6 | 33.2 | 37.8 |
| =130 | 1001+ | University of Nebraska Omaha | 10.9鈥23.3 | 13.2 | 9 | 32.4 | 28.2 | 43 |
| =130 | 1001+ | University of South Dakota | 10.9鈥23.3 | 14 | 10 | 32.7 | 39 | 28.9 |
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 2026
- There are 134 US universities ranked in total
- Stanford University and the California Institute of Technology 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
The life sciences cover a wide range of subjects including biology, zoology, agriculture and many others.
Due to 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鈥檙e 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.
Choosing the best school for biology, agriculture or sports science is a crucial step for prospective students. The 糖心Vlog 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.
To explore more, you may like to check out the top universities in the UK for life sciences, the top universities for life sciences in Canada, the top universities in Australia for life sciences.