Why This Matters

  • DEMAND FOR BIOLOGICAL TECHNICIANS IS INCREASING

    Biological technicians can expect to earn a median salary of $48,140 per year, and the field is on track to grow by 9% between 2021 and 2031 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

  • PHARMACEUTICALS AND LIFE SCIENCES ARE A TRILLION DOLLAR MARKET

    Deloitte reports that sales of pharmaceuticals will reach $1.18 trillion by 2024. Specialists in biology have the opportunity to work for med-tech companies and contribute to life-enriching pharmaceuticals research.

  • BIOLOGY GRADUATES CAN ADVANCE INTO MANY OTHER FIELDS

    A Bachelor of Science in Biology opens the door for advancement into other areas at the master’s level and many career options in the life sciences field.

Our Research

This list features some of the best online Bachelor’s in Biology programs at top colleges across the country. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. The programs on our list have been accredited by reputable organizations, such as the Higher Learning Commission and Middle States Commission on Higher Education, that assess the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of colleges and universities.

We evaluated each school’s program on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for online students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

Next, we compared this comprehensive list of online Bachelor’s in Biology programs to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

The Top 50 Online Bachelor’s in Biology Programs

Best Bachelor's in Biology Programs 2023
01
Intelligent Pick
University of Florida
01
Best Specialization Options
Arizona State University
01
Best for Human Biology
Logan University
01
Best Faculty
Florida International University
01
Best for Transfer Students
WSU Global Campus
01
Best Student Support Services
Life University
01
Best for Veterans
Excelsior College
01
Best Public School
The University of Arizona
01
Best for Plant Biology
Oregon State University
01
Best for Biotechnology
University of Maryland Global Campus
01

Kean University
01

Bellevue University

What You Should Know About This Degree

Bachelor’s degrees in biology are diverse in terms of what they focus on. This means would-be students should check the curriculum of a course before enrolling. “Biological sciences” is a term that includes a variety of specialist subjects.

A biology student may focus on anatomy, microbiology, ecology, or one of many other topics. Some biology courses give students a broad background in biology and allow learners to choose electives in their final year. Graduates may go on to work in laboratories, nutrition, and food sciences or healthcare-adjacent roles. Some roles may require additional training or licensing, but that is profession-specific.

Students can take a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts program in biological sciences. There is no single accrediting body for Biological Sciences degrees. Students should look for a course that is accredited by an organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education to ensure their degree is widely recognized.

What’s Next?

Here are some questions that you should look into when researching online bachelor’s in biology programs:

Am I eligible for this program? Each institution sets its own requirements for online degrees. For bachelor’s degrees, a high school diploma with passing grades in the prerequisite science courses is usually expected. GEDs may be accepted in the place of a high school diploma for mature students.

How long does it take to complete this online degree? A bachelor’s degree includes 120 credits, which means it should take full-time students four years to complete and part-time students around six years to complete.

Be sure to keep track of application deadlines and the materials you’ll need to submit when researching different programs. This information can be found by reviewing the school’s website or contacting their admissions department.

Scholarships and bursaries may be available for students who would otherwise struggle to cover the cost of tuition. Contact the institution’s student finance department for more information about this.