Best Online Biology Programs in Phoenix, AZ (2026)

Phoenix, Arizona has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs, with tuition ranging from $35,098 to $54,792 per year for indexed programs. Phoenix has a population of about 1,624,832. Median household income is $77,041 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area, the top-earning biology-related role is Medical Scientist at a median $108,390 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Biology Schools to Phoenix

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer biology programs near Phoenix, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Phoenix city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Phoenix. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Grand Canyon University

Phoenix, AZ 4.7 miles from Phoenix BOC Score 33.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,186
Avg net price $22,472/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Phoenix College

Phoenix, AZ 6.2 miles from Phoenix BOC Score 52.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 20%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,870
Avg net price $12,055/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Paradise Valley Community College

Phoenix, AZ 7.2 miles from Phoenix BOC Score 51.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,196
Avg net price $12,180/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

GateWay Community College

Phoenix, AZ 9.1 miles from Phoenix BOC Score 49.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,147
Avg net price $13,339/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 77

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Phoenix-Arizona

Phoenix, AZ 12.0 miles from Phoenix BOC Score 30.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,752
Avg net price $13,520/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 41%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arizona schools on the Arizona biology page.


Biology Wages Near Phoenix

Phoenix is part of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (BLS area code 38060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arizona statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Medical Scientist$108,390Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$104,927
Biological Technician$61,280Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$59,322
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$67,970Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$65,799
Soil and Plant Scientist$82,510Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$79,874

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Phoenix at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population1,624,832Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$77,041Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+32.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)103.3 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Phoenix-Area Cities With Biology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited biology schools are near Phoenix, AZ?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near Phoenix. The closest is Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ (4.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Paradise Valley Community College (7.2 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying biology roles near Phoenix?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles near Phoenix are: Medical Scientist ($108,390), Soil and Plant Scientist ($82,510), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($67,970). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arizona statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Glendale instead of Phoenix?

Glendale, AZ is 7.8 miles from Phoenix and has its own set of local biology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Phoenix an affordable place to study biology?

Phoenix’s median household income of $77,041 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Phoenix while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arizona public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Biology Programs

Other Programs Available in Phoenix

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Phoenix:

Data verified: July 30, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.