Biology
First Destinations
First Destinations
This graph illustrates the first destinations of recent alumni from the last four graduating classes. Details for each of these categories can be found below.
- 64% Employment
- 21% Graduate School
- 6% Post-Graduate Service
- 3% Fellowships
- 1% Continuing Education
- 4% Other
Top Locations
Top Locations
These are among the top locations of graduates in this major. Whether working, studying, or volunteering, you'll find Grinnellians all over the world.
- Chicago, IL
- Iowa City, IA
- Madison, WI
- New York, NY
- St. Louis, MO
Employment
Employment
There is no typical path of a Grinnell graduate. As this list illustrates, Grinnellians work across all types of industries working with a rich array of employers.
| Employer | Position |
|---|---|
| Boston Children's Hospital | research assistant |
| Discovery Biomed | staff scientist |
| Idaho Fish & Game | fishery technician |
| Mayo Clinic | patient care assistant |
| Scattergood Friends School | science teacher |
| Tracy Aviary | aviculture intern |
| UnityPoint Health | certified medical assistant |
| Washington University in St. Louis | neuropathology research technician |
Biology
Employment Data
| Employer | Position | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Actalent | recruiter | Cedar Rapids, IA |
| All Pets Veterinary Hospital | veterinary assistant | Grinnell, IA |
| Ambulnz | EMT | Fort Collins, CO |
| Arrive Logistics | business development representative | Chicago, IL |
| Atalan | data analyst | remote |
| Boston Children's Hospital | research assistant | Boston, MA |
| Boyce Thompson Institute | postgraduate intern | Ithaca, NY |
| Boys & Girls Club of Salem, Marion & Polk Counties | athletic director | Salem, OR |
| Broad Institute | process development technician | Cambridge, MA |
| California Department of Fish & Wildlife | salmon fishery port sampler | San Francisco, CA |
| Camphill Village Minnesota | garden manager | Sauk Centre, MN |
| Catalent Pharma Solutions | associate | Madison, WI |
| Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve | plant ecology intern | East Bethel, MN |
| CIEE | language & culture assistant | San Martin de Valdeiglesias, Spain |
| Clarke | lab technician | Roselle, IL |
| Columbia University | technician | New York, NY |
| Corteva Agriscience | laboratory technician | Johnston, IA |
| Des Plaines Park District | horticulturalist | Chicago, IL |
| Discovery Biomed | staff scientist | Birmingham, AL |
| Donald Danforth Plant Science Center | lab technician | St. Louis, MO |
| The Ecosystems Center | research assistant | Woods Hole, MA |
| Epic | project manager | Madison, WI |
| Exact Sciences | laboratory scientist | Madison, WI |
| Forest Service | natural resource specialist/social scientist | Fort Jones, CA |
| Grinnell College | content specialist - science fellow | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell College | content specialist fellow | Grinnell, IA |
| Harriet Tubman Charter School | 8th grade science teacher | New Orleans, LA |
| Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies | Baffin Bay watershed restoration coordinator | Corpus Christi, TX |
| HESS Education | ESL teacher | Taipei, Taiwan |
| Idaho Fish & Game | fishery technician | Lewiston, ID |
| Illinois Retina Associates | ophthalmalic assistant | Chicago, IL |
| Institute for Clinical & Economic Review | research assistant | Boston, MA |
| Institute for Marine Mammal Studies | research intern | Gulfport, MS |
| Iowa Hospital System | post-anesthesia care unit nursing assistant | Iowa City, IA |
| Iowa State University | research scientist | Ames, IA |
| Iowa State University | wildlife field biologist | Iowa City, IA |
| iScribeMD | medical scribe | Jersey City, NJ |
| The Jackson Laboratory | research assistant | Bar Harbor, ME |
| Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute | research assistant | Seattle, WA |
| Kubrick Group | data management consultant | New York, NY |
| Laboratory Alliance of Central New York, LLC | lab technician assistant | Syracuse, NY |
| Lankenau Institute of Medical Research | biomedical research assistant | Philadelphia, PA |
| Luther College | inclusive recruitment coordinator | Decorah, IA |
| M Health Fairview | emergency department technician | Maplewood, MN |
| Maui Girl LLC | marketing & strategy partner | Paia, HI |
| Mayflower Community | certified nursing assistant | Grinnell, IA |
| Mayo Clinic | patient care assistant | Rochester, MN |
| Meta | software engineer | Menlo Park, CA |
| Midwest Express Clinic | medical assistant | Chicago, IL |
| National Ecological Observatory Network | field research technician | Land O' Lakes, WI |
| Nationwide Children's Hospital | research assistant | Columbus, OH |
| Neelyx Labs | laboratory technician | Wood Dale, IL |
| North American Language & Culture Assistants Program | English language assistant | La Línea de la Concepción, Spain |
| Northwestern Lurie Cancer Center | data assistant | Chicago, IL |
| Norton Klein Hug Sabin Maddens | medical assistant | Troy, MI |
| Oregon Health & Science University | clinical research assistant | Portland, OR |
| Oregon Health & Science University | research assistant | Portland, OR |
| Pillar Clinical Research | mental health patient tech | Bentonville, AR |
| PwC Japan | associate | Tokyo, Japan |
| Reefgen, Inc. | staff biologist | San Francisco, CA |
| Scattergood Friends School | science teacher | West Branch, IA |
| ScribeAmerica | medical scribe | Cave Creek, AZ |
| Sierra Business Council | CivicSpark fellow | Truckee, CA |
| Solid Clouds | copy writer | Reykjavik, Iceland |
| Somerville Public School | Learning Lab tutor | Somerville, MA |
| Southwest Pediatrics | certified nursing assistant | Chicago, IL |
| Stanford University | research technician/assistant | Stanford, CA |
| Tracy Aviary | aviculture intern | Salt Lake City, UT |
| UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine | research coordinator | Los Angeles, CA |
| UnityPoint Health | certified medical assistant | Des Moines, IA |
| UnityPoint Health | certified nursing assistant | Grinnell, IA |
| University of Chicago | research technical assistant | Chicago, IL |
| University of Illinois | clinical research assistant | Chicago, IL |
| University of Iowa | postbaccalaureate research fellow | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa | postbaccalaureate research intern | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa | postbaccalaureate researcher | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa | research assistant | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa | research intern | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa Health Care | research intern | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics | certified nursing assistant | Iowa City, IA |
| University of North Carolina | lab manager/technician | Chapel Hill, NC |
| University of North Carolina | research assistant | Chapel Hill, NC |
| University of Utah | lab technician | Salt Lake City, UT |
| University of Wisconsin | postbaccalaureate research intern | Madison, WI |
| University of Wisconsin | research intern | Madison, WI |
| Waltz Health | associate product manger | Chicago, IL |
| Washington University in St. Louis | neuropathology research technician | St. Louis, MO |
| Washington University School of Medicine | clinical research coordinator | St. Louis, MO |
Positions Related to Career Goals
Positions Related to Career Goals
This graph illustrates the extent to which our graduates' first job is aligned with their career goals. It's one thing to find a job; it's an entirely different thing to land the job you want!
- 25% Completely
- 64% Moderately
- 8% Slightly
- 2% Not at All
Graduate Schools
Graduate Schools
Grinnell graduates are particularly well prepared for graduate study. You'll find Grinnellians attend the best graduate and professional school programs around the world.
| Institution | Degree | Field of Study |
|---|---|---|
| Cornell University | PhD | computational biology |
| Rosalind Franklin University | MD | medicine |
| Tufts University | DVM | veterinary medicine |
| University of Colorado | PhD | environmental studies |
| University of Illinois | MS | biomedical visualization |
| Vanderbilt University | PhD | biomedical & biological science |
Biology
Graduate Schools Data
| Institution | Degree | Field of Study | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown University | MS | biotechnology | Providence, RI |
| Brown University | ScM | biotechnology | Providence, RI |
| Cornell University | PhD | computational biology | Ithaca, NY |
| Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | PhD | neuroscience | New York, NY |
| Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine | PharmD | pharmacy | Erie, PA |
| Loyola University Chicago | PhD | biomedical sciences | Chicago, IL |
| New York University | MPH | community health, science & practice | New York, NY |
| Northwestern University | DPT | physical therapy | Evanston, IL |
| Northwestern University | MS | biotechnology | Evanston, IL |
| Rosalind Franklin University | MD | medicine | Chicago, IL |
| Texas A&M University | MMRM | marine resources & management | Galveston, TX |
| Tufts University | DVM | veterinary medicine | North Grafton, MA |
| University of California | MEng | electrical engineering & computer science | Berkeley, CA |
| University of California | PhD | English literature | Davis, CA |
| University of Colorado | PhD | environmental studies | Boulder, CO |
| University of Illinois | MS | biomedical visualization | Chicago, IL |
| University of Iowa | MA | geography | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa | MPH | community & behavioral health | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa | MPH | community & behavioral health | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa | MPH | epidemiology | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Vermont | PhD | biomedical engineering | Burlington, VT |
| University of Wisconsin | MA | library & information studies | Madison, WI |
| University of Wisconsin | PhD | endocrinology & reproductive physiology | Madison, WI |
| Vanderbilt University | PhD | biomedical & biological science | Nashville, TN |
| Washington University in St. Louis | DOT | occupational therapy | St. Louis, MO |
| Washington University in St. Louis | MPH | health | St. Louis, MO |
| Washington University in St. Louis | PhD | microbiology | St. Louis, MO |
| Yale University | MPH | chronic disease epidemiology | New Haven, CT |
| Yale University | MS | biostatistics | New Haven, CT |
Graduate School Acceptance Info
Of those who applied to and were accepted to at least one program, this chart illustrates the percentage of admitted students who were accepted to either their first or second choice program and institution.
79%
79% of students are accepted to their first or second choice graduate institution and program
Service
Service
Each year, Grinnellians advance causes and serve communities around the world as full-time volunteers.
Organization
- Chicago HOPES for Kids
- Conservation Corps
- Green Iowa AmeriCorps
- Peace Corps
Biology
Service Data
| Organization | Location |
|---|---|
| AmeriCorps | Brecksville, OH |
| AmeriCorps | Los Alamos, NM |
| Chicago HOPES for Kids | Chicago, IL |
| City Year | Seattle, WA |
| Conservation Corps | St. Croix, MN |
| Green Iowa AmeriCorps | Ames, IA |
| Peace Corps | Asunción, Paraguay |
| Peace Corps | Dodoma, Tanzania |
Fellowships
Fellowships
Grinnell has a rich history of producing recipients of some of the most prestigious post-graduate fellowships and awards.
Organization
- Aldo Leopold Foundation
- National Institutes of Health
- Thomas J. Watson Foundation
Biology
Fellowships Data
| Organization | Location |
|---|---|
| Aldo Leopold Foundation | Baraboo, WI |
| National Institutes of Health | Bethesda, MD |
| National Institutes of Health | Rockville, MD |
| Thomas J. Watson Foundation | Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Denmark, Iceland, Namibia, South Africa |
Experiential Learning
Experiential Learning
Participation in high-impact experiences is a hallmark of a Grinnell education. The following graphs illustrate the percentage of graduates who completed internships, research experiences (both on- and off-campus), service, and/or off-campus study prior to graduating from Grinnell.
Internships
45%
Biology
Internships Data
| Organization | Field | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Afya Foundation | social services | Yonkers, NY |
| Algalita | research/science | Long Beach, CA |
| Alliance for Citizen Engagement | government/public policy | remote |
| American Chemical Society | education | remote |
| AmeriCorps | education | Grinnell, IA |
| AmeriCorps | environment/sustainability | Corpus Christi, TX |
| Animal Dermatology Clinic Los Angeles | healthcare | Los Angeles, CA |
| AT&T | communications/media | remote |
| Carver College of Medicine | healthcare | Iowa City, IA |
| Center for Prairie Studies Prairie | environment/sustainability | Grinnell, IA |
| Charles River Community Health | healthcare | Boston, MA |
| Christian Institute of Health Sciences & Research | healthcare | Dimapur, India |
| Clarke | research/science | Roselle, IL |
| Colectivo Sin Fronteras | social services | Santiago, Chile |
| Columbia University | research/science | New York, NY |
| Conard Environmental Research Area | environment/sustainability | Kellogg, IA |
| Conard Environmental Research Area | research/science | Kellogg, IA |
| Desert Regional Medical Center | healthcare | Palm Springs, CA |
| Dominion Cares | healthcare | Maple Lake, MN |
| Dow Chemical | research/science | Suzhou, China |
| ENCAP, Inc. | research/science | DeKalb, IL |
| EverThrive Illinois | healthcare | Chicago, IL |
| Feinberg School of Medicine | research/science | Chicago, IL |
| Fight for $15 | government/public policy | Chicago, IL |
| Food & Water Watch | government/public policy | Portland, ME |
| Forest Preserves District of Cook County | environment/sustainability | Chicago, IL |
| Forest Restoration & Research Unit | research/science | Chiang Mai, Thailand |
| Global Nomads Group | communications/media | remote |
| GlobalEd | healthcare | Sevilla, Spain |
| The Good Food Institute | communications/media | San Francisco, CA |
| Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation | social services | Grinnell, IA |
| Green Iowa AmeriCorps | environment/sustainability | Des Moines, IA |
| Grinnell Area Local Foods Alliance | sales/marketing | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell College Center for Prairie Studies | environment/sustainability | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell College Office of Development & Alumni Relations | communications/media | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell Heritage Farm | agriculture | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center | healthcare | Grinnell, IA |
| Housatonic Valley Association | research/science | Cornwall, CT |
| Humanist Global Charity | environment/sustainability | Oakland, CA |
| Illinois Medical District | healthcare | Chicago, IL |
| Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Science | research/science | Beijing, China |
| International Rescue Committee | communications/media | Oakland, CA |
| Iowa Civil Rights Commission | government/public policy | Des Moines, IA |
| Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation | environment/sustainability | Des Moines, IA |
| Kiira Motors Cooperation | computing/technology | Kampala, Uganda |
| Library of Congress | communications/media | Washington, DC |
| Lincoln Park Conservancy | environment/sustainability | Chicago, IL |
| Local Foods Connection | social services | Grinnell, IA |
| Makerere University College of Health Sciences | research/science | Kampala, Uganda |
| Microsoft | computing/technology | Beijing, China |
| The Mike Adamle Project | healthcare | Evanston, IL |
| Moksha Foundation | healthcare | Chennai, India |
| Mori Hospital | healthcare | Kyoto, Japan |
| Museum of Science | research/science | Boston, MA |
| Mustard Seed Community Farm | agriculture | Ames, IA |
| National Science Foundation | education | Hartford, CT |
| The Nature Conservancy | environment/sustainability | Des Moines, IA |
| The Nature Conservancy | environment/sustainability | Letts, IA |
| The Nature Conservancy | environment/sustainability | Muscatine, IA |
| Nepal Hemophilia Society | healthcare | Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Nick Simons Institute | healthcare | Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine | healthcare | Evanston, IL |
| Oregon Health & Science University | healthcare | Portland, OR |
| Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy | research/science | Palos Verdes, CA |
| The Paraclete Center | social services | Boston, MA |
| Philip Morris International | business administration/management | Lausanne, Switzerland, Switzerland |
| Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary | environment/sustainability | Hubert, NC |
| Reefgen, Inc. | environment/sustainability | San Francisco, CA |
| The RMR Group | finance | Newton, MA |
| Rocky Mountain National Park | communications/media | Estes Park, CO |
| Seaver Autism Center | data science/analytics | New York, NY |
| ShanghaiTech University | education | Shanghai, China |
| South Central Family Health | healthcare | Los Angeles, CA |
| Speechless | communications/media | San Francisco, CA |
| Starwin Fintech | healthcare | Shanghai, China |
| Student Conservation Society | environment/sustainability | Chicago, IL |
| Summer Health Professions Education Program | healthcare | Omaha, NE |
| T.E.A.L. | social services | remote |
| Turtle Island Restoration | environment/sustainability | Olema, CA |
| U.S. Forest Service | environment/sustainability | Grand Marais, MN |
| University of Iowa | healthcare | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Michigan | research/science | Ann Arbor, MI |
| University of North Carolina | research/science | Chapel Hill, NC |
| U.S. Department of Agriculture | research/science | Albany, CA |
| VenYoeu | business administration/management | Chicago, IL |
| Veterinary Associates | healthcare | Iowa City, IA |
| Wisconsin Geological & Natural History Survey | communications/media | Madison, WI |
| Yellowstone National Park | environment/sustainability | Yellowstone National Park, WY |
Research
66%
Biology
Research Data
| Organization | Field | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Academia Sinica | antibody affinity | Taipei, Taiwan |
| Ames National Lab | neural regeneration | Ames, IA |
| Arizona State University | microbe genomics | Tempe, AZ |
| Boyce Thompson Institute | plant biology | Ithaca, NY |
| Center for Human-Environmental Research | climate ethnography | New Orleans, LA |
| Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology | Homo erectus stone tools | Koobi Fora, Kenya |
| Charité | ischemic stroke | Berlin, Germany |
| Coe College | aquatic biology | Ely, MN |
| Discovery Biomed | drug screening | Birmingham, AL |
| Donald Danforth Plant Science Center | plant biology | St. Louis, MO |
| Emory University | impact of PTSD on cardiac health | Atlanta, GA |
| Emory University | stress neuroscience | Atlanta, GA |
| Fermilab | physics | Batavia, IL |
| Fulbright University Vietnam | relationship perception | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam |
| Georgetown University | tobacco use in young adults | Washington, DC |
| GVI | marine observation & conservation | Tenerife, Spain |
| Institute for Central American Development Studies | avian biology | Comadre, Costa Rica |
| Institute for Human Neuroscience | effects of sleep deprivation | Omaha, NE |
| Marquette University | gecko sex chromosomes | Milwaukee, WI |
| Mayo Clinic | biomedical science | Rochester, MN |
| Morton Arboretum | soil respiration | Lisle, IL |
| Mount Sinai Hospital | novel therapy for genotoxin-resistant cancer | New York, NY |
| National Cancer Center | impact of dietary inflammatory index on health risk factors | Goyang-si, Republic of Korea |
| Northwestern University | endocrinology | Chicago, IL |
| Northwestern University | organ transplant medicine | Chicago, IL |
| Northwestern University | regenerative stem cells | Chicago, IL |
| Oregon Health & Science University | sex differences in pulmonary embolism | Portland, OR |
| Organization for Tropical Studies | tropical biology | San Jose, Costa Rica |
| Osaka University | genomics of mammalian infertility | Osaka, Japan |
| PANDA Collaboration | particle physics | remote |
| Pontifica University | oncology | Santiago, Chile |
| Sanford Research | biomedical science | Sioux Falls, SD |
| SFS Tanzania | forest foods in Buger Community Forest | Karatu District, Tanzania |
| South Central Family Health Center | healthcare policy | Los Angeles, CA |
| Southern Illinois University | antibiotic resistance | Springfield, IL |
| Stanford Cardiovascular Institute | cardiovascular disease | Stanford, CA |
| University of California | healthcare/education | Los Angeles, CA |
| University of Cape Town | reef fish nesting behavior | Cape Town, South Africa |
| University of Delaware | neuroscience | Newark, DE |
| University of Iowa | free radicals in chemotherapy | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa | internal medicine/neuroscience | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa | microbiology/biochemistry | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa | non-small cell lung cancer targeted therapy | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa | public health | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Michigan | effects of bariatric surgery on hormones | Ann Arbor, MI |
| University of Michigan | effects of sleep deprivation | Ann Arbor, MI |
| University of Missouri | cardiovascular effects of TBI | Columbia, MO |
| University of Missouri | corneal gene therapy | Columbia, MO |
| University of Missouri | neuroscience | Columbia, MO |
| University of Nebraska | resting state magnetoencephalography | Omaha, NE |
| University of Ottawa | tissue engineering | Ottawa, Canada |
| University of Texas | physical activity & sleep | Houston, TX |
| University of Washington | biology | Seattle, WA |
| University of Wisconsin | cortical thickness in Alzheimer's disease | Madison, WI |
| Washington University in St. Louis | cancer immunology | St. Louis, MO |
| Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies | coral growth & morphology | remote |
Service
86%
Off-Campus Study
41%