Best Online Biology Programs in Hanford, CA (2026)

Hanford, California has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs, with tuition ranging from $1,334 to $16,881 per year for indexed programs. Hanford has a population of about 59,389. Median household income is $73,544 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning biology-related role is Medical Scientist at a median $136,990 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Biology Schools to Hanford

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer biology programs near Hanford, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Hanford 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 Hanford. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA 28.0 miles from Hanford BOC Score 68.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,896
Avg net price $13,630/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Fresno City College

Fresno, CA 31.5 miles from Hanford BOC Score 41.3
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,361
Avg net price $8,069/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA 34.5 miles from Hanford BOC Score 78.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 95%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,244
Avg net price $7,000/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,350
Out‑of‑state$19,950
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

California State University-Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA 73.9 miles from Hanford BOC Score 74.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,009
Avg net price $5,652/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Bakersfield College

Bakersfield, CA 74.0 miles from Hanford BOC Score 24.0
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,291
Avg net price $14,621/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Taft College

Taft, CA 82.1 miles from Hanford BOC Score 46.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 11%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,861
Avg net price $2,823/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of California-Merced

Merced, CA 83.4 miles from Hanford BOC Score 70.1
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,368
Avg net price $11,983/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA 90.5 miles from Hanford BOC Score 89.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $90,768
Avg net price $16,665/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Biology Wages Near Hanford

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (California, statewide)
Medical Scientist$136,990
Biological Technician$71,440
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$98,530
Soil and Plant Scientist$91,930

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.


Hanford at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population59,389Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$73,544Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)101.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Hanford-Area Cities With Biology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited biology schools are near Hanford, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near Hanford. The closest is Lemoore College in Lemoore, CA (9.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Fresno City College (31.5 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying biology roles in California?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles in California are: Medical Scientist ($136,990), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($98,530), Soil and Plant Scientist ($91,930). Wages for Hanford workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Lemoore instead of Hanford?

Lemoore, CA is 8.3 miles from Hanford 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 Hanford an affordable place to study biology?

Hanford’s median household income of $73,544 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hanford while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California 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 Hanford

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

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 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.