I want to find out which colleges in the US offer undergrad majors in
Marine Biology. I also want to know how these schools are ranked, ie
do they have good reputations?

Hello wantanswers-ga,

Thank you for your question.

Colleges offering Bachelor's degrees in Marine/Aquatic Biology :


Alabama State University AL

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (South), fourth tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.1
Average freshman retention rate: 59%
Average graduation rate: 22%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): N/A
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): N/A
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 18/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 83%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 14-19
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): N/A
Acceptance rate (2001): 69%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 2%

	
Alaska Pacific University AK

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (West), third tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.4
Average freshman retention rate: 62%
Average graduation rate: 22%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 94%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 1%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 10/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 61%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 880-1130
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 30%
Acceptance rate (2001): 96%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 4%


Auburn University AL  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, second tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.1
Average freshman retention rate: 81%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 56%
   -Actual: 68%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): +12
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 29%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 13%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 16/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 97%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 21-26
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 26%
Acceptance rate (2001): 76%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 24%


Ball State University IN  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, third tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.6
Average freshman retention rate: 75%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 40%
   -Actual: 48%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): +8
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 33%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 8%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 16/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 91%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 935-1152
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 16%
Acceptance rate (2001): 76%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 15%


Bemidji State University MN  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (Midwest), third tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.7
Average freshman retention rate: 72%
Average graduation rate: 38%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 48%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 5%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 20/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 98%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 19-24
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 50%
Acceptance rate (2001): 76%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 11%


Brown University RI  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, 17
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 4.4
Average freshman retention rate: 97%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 91%
   -Actual: 94%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): +3
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 60%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 14%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 10/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 93%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1290-1490
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 87%
Acceptance rate (2001): 16%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 38%


California State University--Long Beach CA 

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (West), second tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.1
Average freshman retention rate: 82%
Average graduation rate: 35%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 27%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 11%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 20/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 77%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 860-1090
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): N/A
Acceptance rate (2001): 85%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 7%


Clemson University SC  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, second tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.1
Average freshman retention rate: 86%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 59%
   -Actual: 69%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): +10
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 21%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 10%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 16/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 95%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1090-1280
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 45%
Acceptance rate (2001): 52%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 25%


College of Charleston SC  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (South), 18
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.6
Average freshman retention rate: 80%
Average graduation rate: 54%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 28%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 3%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 15/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 80%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1080-1230
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 61%
Acceptance rate (2001): 65%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 10%


College of the Atlantic ME  

U.S. News ranking: Liberal Arts Colleges–Bachelor's, fourth tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.2
Average freshman retention rate: 90%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 81%
   -Actual: 62%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): -19
Classes with under 20 students (2001): N/A
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): N/A
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 10/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): N/A
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1223
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 18%
Acceptance rate (2001): 75%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): N/A


Colorado State University CO  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, second tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.0
Average freshman retention rate: 82%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 56%
   -Actual: 62%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): +6
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 39%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 18%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 17/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 99%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 21-25
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 24%
Acceptance rate (2001): 78%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 10%


Cornell University NY  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, 14
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 4.6
Average freshman retention rate: 96%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 88%
   -Actual: 91%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): +3
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 44%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 23%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 13/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 98%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1270-1470
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 82%
Acceptance rate (2001): 27%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 37%


Evergreen State College WA  

U.S. News ranking: Liberal Arts Colleges–Bachelor's, fourth tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.9
Average freshman retention rate: 69%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 53%
   -Actual: 56%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): +3
Classes with under 20 students (2001): N/A
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): N/A
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 23/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 92%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1020-1250
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 7%
Acceptance rate (2001): 82%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 8%


Fairleigh Dickinson University NJ 

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (North), second tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.1
Average freshman retention rate: 74%
Average graduation rate: 45%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 66%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 0%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 16/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 67%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 890-1090
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 28%
Acceptance rate (2001): 69%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 8%


Florida Institute of Technology FL  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, third tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.4
Average freshman retention rate: 77%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 67%
   -Actual: 52%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): -15
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 25%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 7%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 12/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 89%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1060-1270
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 29%
Acceptance rate (2001): 82%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 10%


Hampshire College 	MA

U.S. News ranking: Liberal Arts Colleges–Bachelor's, second tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.9
Average freshman retention rate: 79%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 71%
   -Actual: 56%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): -15
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 73%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 0%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 11/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 95%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1150-1340
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 26%
Acceptance rate (2001): 59%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): N/A


Harvard University MA  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, 2
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 4.9
Average freshman retention rate: 96%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 93%
   -Actual: 96%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): +3
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 70%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 13%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 8/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 91%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1380-1570
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 90%
Acceptance rate (2001): 11%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 47%


Hawaii Pacific University HI  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (West), second tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.6
Average freshman retention rate: 72%
Average graduation rate: 41%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 39%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 0%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 17/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 63%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 880-1110
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 36%
Acceptance rate (2001): 81%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 24%


Nova Southeastern University FL  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, fourth tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 1.7
Average freshman retention rate: 71%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 54%
   -Actual: 46%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): -8
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 68%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 0%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 15/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 65%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 940-1130
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 28%
Acceptance rate (2001): 74%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 3%


Ohio University OH  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, second tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.2
Average freshman retention rate: 85%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 55%
   -Actual: 70%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): +15
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 43%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 11%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 21/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 89%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 21-26
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 18%
Acceptance rate (2001): 78%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 12%


Roger Williams University RI  

U.S. News ranking: Comprehensive Colleges–Bachelor's (North), 13
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.2
Average freshman retention rate: 76%
Average graduation rate: 51%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 35%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 0%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 17/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 67%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 970-1160
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 37%
Acceptance rate (2001): 90%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 14%


San Diego State University CA  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, fourth tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.8
Average freshman retention rate: 76%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 37%
   -Actual: 36%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): -1
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 26%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 17%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 17/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 78%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 920-1140
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): N/A
Acceptance rate (2001): 63%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 4%


San Francisco State University CA  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (West), second tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.3
Average freshman retention rate: 75%
Average graduation rate: 34%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 30%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 17%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 20/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 71%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 850-1120
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): N/A
Acceptance rate (2001): 61%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 3%


San Jose State University CA  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (West), 30
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.3
Average freshman retention rate: 79%
Average graduation rate: 37%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 29%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 10%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 19/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 69%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 860-1140
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): N/A
Acceptance rate (2001): 66%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 4%


Southwest Texas State University TX  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (West), second tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.9
Average freshman retention rate: 72%
Average graduation rate: 40%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 19%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 18%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 25/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 87%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 940-1130
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 48%
Acceptance rate (2001): 58%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 18%


Southwestern College KS  

U.S. News ranking: Comprehensive Colleges–Bachelor's (Midwest), second
tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.9
Average freshman retention rate: 69%
Average graduation rate: 47%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 85%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 1%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 13/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 71%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 20-26
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 47%
Acceptance rate (2001): 72%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 21%


Spring Hill College AL

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (South), 15
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.0
Average freshman retention rate: 80%
Average graduation rate: 60%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 56%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 0%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 14/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 78%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 21-26
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 49%
Acceptance rate (2001): 77%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 30%

  
St. Cloud State University MN  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (Midwest), third tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.9
Average freshman retention rate: 73%
Average graduation rate: 41%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 42%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 6%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 20/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 94%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 19-24
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 29%
Acceptance rate (2001): 84%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 14%


Stetson University FL 

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (South), 4
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.7
Average freshman retention rate: 80%
Average graduation rate: 60%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 62%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 0%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 10/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 87%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1010-1230
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 63%
Acceptance rate (2001): 80%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 31% 


Texas A&M University--Galveston TX  

U.S. News ranking: Liberal Arts Colleges–Bachelor's, fourth tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.2
Average freshman retention rate: 72%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 62%
   -Actual: 27%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): -35
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 66%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 6%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 15/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): N/A
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1096-1112
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 48%
Acceptance rate (2001): 87%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 1%


Troy State University--Troy AL 

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (South), third tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.5
Average freshman retention rate: 72%
Average graduation rate: 47%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 45%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 6%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 19/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 79%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 17-24
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 48%
Acceptance rate (2001): 72%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 4%

 
University of Arkansas--Pine Bluff AR  

U.S. News ranking: Comprehensive Colleges–Bachelor's (South), third
tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.6
Average freshman retention rate: 62%
Average graduation rate: 24%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 49%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 4%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 16/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 92%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 16
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): N/A
Acceptance rate (2001): 72%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): N/A


University of California--Los Angeles CA  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, 25
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 4.3
Average freshman retention rate: 97%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 80%
   -Actual: 82%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): +2
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 49%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 24%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 17/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 91%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1160-1400
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 97%
Acceptance rate (2001): 27%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 12%


University of California--Santa Barbara CA  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, 47
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.5
Average freshman retention rate: 90%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 71%
   -Actual: 70%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): -1
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 44%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 19%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 17/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 94%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1090-1300
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 95%
Acceptance rate (2001): 50%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 16%


University of California--Santa Cruz CA  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, second tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.3
Average freshman retention rate: 86%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 73%
   -Actual: 64%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): -9
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 36%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 22%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 20/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 88%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1030-1270
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 96%
Acceptance rate (2001): 81%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 9%


University of Maine--Machias ME  

U.S. News ranking: Comprehensive Colleges–Bachelor's (North), third
tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.3
Average freshman retention rate: 71%
Average graduation rate: 43%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 65%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 0%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 14/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 74%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 850-1080
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 46%
Acceptance rate (2001): 81%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 7%


University of Maryland--College Park MD  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, second tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.8
Average freshman retention rate: 90%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 62%
   -Actual: 64%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): +2
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 35%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 14%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 13/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 91%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1150-1350
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 47%
Acceptance rate (2001): 55%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 17%


University of New Haven CT  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (North), fourth tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.3
Average freshman retention rate: 72%
Average graduation rate: 40%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 64%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 1%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 9/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 52%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 860-1070
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 34%
Acceptance rate (2001): 76%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 9%


University of North Alabama AL  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (South), third tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.7
Average freshman retention rate: 69%
Average graduation rate: 37%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 41%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 2%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 21/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 87%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 18-24
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 45%
Acceptance rate (2001): 82%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 5%


University of North Carolina--Wilmington NC  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (South), 23
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.3
Average freshman retention rate: 80%
Average graduation rate: 58%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 27%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 9%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 16/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 86%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 1010-1170
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 52%
Acceptance rate (2001): 80%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 13%


University of Rhode Island RI  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, third tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.8
Average freshman retention rate: 79%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 60%
   -Actual: 58%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): -2
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 30%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 9%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 18/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 90%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 990-1210
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 20%
Acceptance rate (2001): 67%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 13%


University of Southern Mississippi MS  

U.S. News ranking: National Universities–Doctoral, third tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.2
Average freshman retention rate: 72%
2001 graduation rate:
   -Predicted: 45%
   -Actual: 45%
   -Overperformance (+)/Underperformance (-): None
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 53%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 6%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 20/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 93%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 18-23
Freshmen in top 10 percent of high school class (2001): 36%
Acceptance rate (2001): 53%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 18%


University of Tampa FL  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (South), second tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 3.1
Average freshman retention rate: 72%
Average graduation rate: 51%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 53%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 1%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 17/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 73%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 960-1200
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 55%
Acceptance rate (2001): 71%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 16%


University of West Alabama 	AL  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (South), fourth tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.2
Average freshman retention rate: 66%
Average graduation rate: 25%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 60%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 2%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 19/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 96%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 19
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): N/A
Acceptance rate (2001): 69%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 4%


University of West Florida 	FL  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (South), second tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.9
Average freshman retention rate: 72%
Average graduation rate: 37%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 34%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 9%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 19/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 79%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 21-26
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 43%
Acceptance rate (2001): 82%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 7%


University of Wisconsin--Superior WI  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (Midwest), third tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.7
Average freshman retention rate: 64%
Average graduation rate: 34%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 55%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 10%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 16/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 80%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 20-24
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 37%
Acceptance rate (2001): 81%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 7%


Waynesburg College PA  

U.S. News ranking: Universities–Master's (North), third tier
Peer assessment score (5.0=highest): 2.4
Average freshman retention rate: 74%
Average graduation rate: 55%
Classes with under 20 students (2001): 71%
Classes with 50 or more students (2001): 0%
Student/faculty ratio (2001): 16/1
Percent of faculty who are full-time (2001): 73%
SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile (2001): 830-1050
Freshmen in top 25 percent of high school class (2001): 33%
Acceptance rate (2001): 79%
Average alumni giving rate (2001): 17%




Search method :

usnews.com: Education: Advanced College Search
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/tools/premium/cosearch_advanced.php
(Premium Online Edition - requires subscription)

Searched on Majors offered = "Marine/Aquatic Biology" drop-down
selection.

47 results were returned.

Conducted Basic Name Search at
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/tools/brief/cosearch_brief.php
for each of these colleges, then copied and pasted Ranking
information.


Hope this is helpful! If anything is unclear please do not hesitate to
post a Request For Clarification. Thank you for using Google Answers.


Regards,

kyrie26-ga

---

Request for Answer Clarification by wantanswers-ga on 18 Feb 2003 12:05 PST

Dear Researcher, 
Thank you for your research. I want to know how the Marine Biology
programs are rated at the schools mentioned. Some schools are more
well known for specific programs than others. What I want to know is,
if a high school student wants to go apply to college and major in
Marine Biology which schools are considered to have the best Marine
Biology programs and what is the ranking of those schools that have
the best programs. There could be a great Marine Bio program at a
mediocre rated school while an Ivy League may have just a soso
program. Lots of factors go into the decision about where toi apply. I
am doing this research so I know where to apply.  Thanks, Wantanswers

---

Request for Answer Clarification by wantanswers-ga on 18 Feb 2003 12:36 PST

Dear Researcher,
I need another clarification re the ranking of the schools. Some
schools have second tier or fourth tier written next to their name and
others have no tier listing only peer rankings like Brown and College
of Charleston SC for example. Is there a consistant standard of
ranking? Which is considered better, second or fourth tier? How do
schools with no tier ranking or peer ranking compare to the schools
that are tier ranked? There were two schools that I did not see
mentioned in the search that I thought did have Marine Bio majors.
They are University of Miami in Florida and Eckerd College also in
Florida. Thanks for your help,  Wantanswers

---

Clarification of Answer by kyrie26-ga on 18 Feb 2003 13:50 PST

Hello wantanswers-ga,

You question specifically stated that you wanted to know "how these
schools are ranked, ie do they have good reputations". You'll see that
the answer I provided isn't too far off from what you're really
looking for, if you look at the following articles :

+----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Ocean.com - Everything Ocean : Marine Biology Schools
http://www.ocean.com/Library/AskQuestions/200111.asp

" If you want to become a marine biologist, my suggestion would be to
get a college degree in biology. Although many good schools offer
bachelor degrees in marine biology, it is better to get a good basis
in ecological science, as well as chemistry, and then pursue a masters
or PhD in marine biology.

During college, you should take marine-related courses, and pursue
semesters abroad and summer courses in marine biology. You should also
probably get certified as a scuba diver at some point. It's really fun
and helps a lot when you are doing research underwater.

Some famous universities that offer good marine biology programs for
graduate study are Woods Hole, MA; UC San Diego in CA; UC Santa
Barbara also in CA; and University of Miami in Florida. However, it is
still best to get the best undergraduate education before going to
graduate school. Any of the top colleges, even if they are not near
water, will offer this, and you can always do the semester abroad and
summer programs, remember. "

+----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Marine Biology Career Questionaire
http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/marinebio/mycareer.html

" These days the college route is essential, but don't feel that you
have to go to a school that specializes in marine biology. Find a
college that is first rate in science but has good humanities and
communications training as well. In the summer of your junior year or
senior year make SURE that you get a summer job or take a course in a
marine lab (see marine lab links and internships/ summer course links
on the main page of the MBWEB URL). This will do more for you than any
5 marine biology courses in college. After college your marine biology
education will be acquired in graduate school. If you wish to become a
technician a Masters degree will do, but a Ph.D. is essential these
days to become an independent scholar who can supervise research
projects be a well placed official in an environmental protection
agency, etc.

A masters degree will usually take about 2 years to complete. It is
important to choose a university where the program has substance. You
want to pick up a core education in marine biology, but, depending
upon your career goals, you may want a very specific set of courses
and an opportunity to do some research. It may be possible to rapidly
complete a masters but you may have no substantive education to apply
to a job. This will especially be true if you want to work in a
specific field, such as shellfish mariculture. The Ph.D. degree will
take an average of six years in a United States graduate school, but
there is considerable variability around the world. In the United
Kingdom and Australia for example, Ph.D. degrees tend to take 3-4
years, as they tend to omit formal course work, emphasizing research.
In the USA many Ph.D. programs take good students right from their
undergraduate school, but a substantial number of students take a
masters degree first, to see if they want to go through with a Ph.D.
Institutions such as the Marine Sciences Research Center at Stony
Brook and the Virginia Inst. of Marine Sciences have dual programs,
which allows a smooth transition from Masters to Ph.D. student status.
"

+----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Preparation for a Career in Marine Biology
http://www-marine.stanford.edu/HMSweb/Webster.html

" Marine biology is a graduate level pursuit, and so the first
priority is to obtain a strong undergraduate major in biological
sciences. If you already have a strong interest in fishes, or marine
mammals, or ecology, etc., you will want to choose a college or
university with some strength in those areas, and this can generally
be gleaned from a reading of the catalog from virtually any school.

Most major colleges and universities can provide a good basic biology
preparation. Math through calculus, some statistics, and some computer
science should also be included to round out the preparation in the
major.

Selecting the graduate school is more directed to specialization. One
should not plan to study crab reproduction at a school where no
professors are involved in that specialty, so some ground work has to
be done to determine where the people are located who are involved in
the desired area of concentration. Your priority interests have, one
hopes, been identified by the end of the undergraduate years, so you
then go into the current scientific literature at a university library
to determine who is publishing in the desired field of interest. For
instance, if population biology or behavior among elephant seals is
the area of interest, a review of the literature would lead you to
U.C. Santa Cruz and Dr. Burney La Boeuf. "

+----------------------------------------------------------------------+


In answer to your question on the "tiered" rankings, here is the
information from the US News website :

+----------------------------------------------------------------------+

usnews.com America's Best Colleges 2003 Frequently asked questions
(FAQ)
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/about/cofaq.htm#tiers

" What are tiers, and why are some schools listed in tiers and not
number ranked?

In order to focus on the best schools, U.S. News publishes the
numbered rank of approximately the top 25 percent of schools in each
category. The remaining schools are placed in tiers or broad groups,
based on their overall score in their category, (with the second tier
schools the next best, followed by the third and fourth tiers) and
listed alphabetically. "

+----------------------------------------------------------------------+


Other relevant articles/resources :

+----------------------------------------------------------------------+

College Search : The Marine Biology Major
http://www.collegeview.com/college/ask_experts/choosing_mj/marinebio.html

+----------------------------------------------------------------------+



Google Search Terms :

best OR top "marine biology" school OR schools OR college OR colleges
OR university OR universities OR program OR programs

famous OR reputable "marine biology" school OR schools OR college OR
colleges OR university OR universities OR program OR programs

career marine biology


I hope this gets you closer to the information you're looking for! Let
me know if you still need any help. Thank you!


Regards,

kyrie26-ga