Is NYU or WashU better for biology?

For biology, WashU usually has the edge if your main question is overall strength in the major, especially for undergraduate science training, research access, and pre-med support. It is especially well known for life sciences and benefits from very close ties to Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and major biomedical research infrastructure. NYU is absolutely strong, but in biology specifically, WashU is more often the school students choose when they want a campus culture that is heavily oriented toward science and medicine.

WashU tends to fit the student who wants a more traditional residential campus and a college environment where biology, neuroscience, biomedical research, and pre-health advising are central parts of the academic culture. Its biology offerings are broad, and undergraduates often benefit from the scale and reputation of the medical school ecosystem nearby.

NYU makes more sense for the student who wants strong biology within a big-city university experience and likes the idea of studying science in New York while having access to a huge medical and research environment. NYU has serious opportunities through its biology department, neuroscience, and NYU Langone, and being in Manhattan can open doors to hospitals, labs, and internships. The tradeoff is that NYU can feel less centered on the undergraduate residential science experience than WashU, and students sometimes need to be more proactive in navigating a large, decentralized university.

For med school preparation, both can work very well, but WashU is especially established in the pre-med world and has a strong reputation for placing students into research and health-related opportunities.

So if you are asking strictly which school is stronger for biology overall, I would give that nod to WashU. NYU becomes very compelling when the New York setting, flexibility, and access to an urban medical network are major parts of what you want from college.