Best Online Biology Programs in La Quinta, CA (2026)

La Quinta, California has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs. La Quinta has a population of about 38,299. Median household income is $97,628 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, the top-earning biology-related role is Medical Scientist at a median $138,390 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Biology Schools to La Quinta

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

#1

Crafton Hills College

Yucaipa, CA 54.1 miles from La Quinta BOC Score 54.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,553
Avg net price $11,331/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Redlands

Redlands, CA 58.1 miles from La Quinta BOC Score 66.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 83%
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,690
Avg net price $30,031/yr
Tuition
In‑state$60,878
Out‑of‑state$60,878
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 24

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

#3

University of Saint Katherine

San Marcos, CA 62.1 miles from La Quinta
  • 4 year
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

California State University-San Marcos

San Marcos, CA 62.5 miles from La Quinta BOC Score 75.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,908
Avg net price $10,229/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA 64.6 miles from La Quinta BOC Score 84.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,699
Avg net price $14,304/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,606
Out‑of‑state$49,806
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 14

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

#6

MiraCosta College

Oceanside, CA 67.0 miles from La Quinta BOC Score 54.0
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,845
Avg net price $7,339/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

California University of Science and Medicine

Colton, CA 68.1 miles from La Quinta
  • 4 year
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 1

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA 68.6 miles from La Quinta BOC Score 56.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,504
Avg net price $26,285/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Biology Wages Near La Quinta

La Quinta is part of the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area (BLS area code 40140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Medical Scientist$138,390Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$130,066
Biological Technician$60,470Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$56,833
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$82,360Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$77,406
Soil and Plant Scientist$94,900Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$89,192

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.


La Quinta at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population38,299Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$97,628Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+38.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)106.4 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other La Quinta-Area Cities With Biology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited biology schools are near La Quinta, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near La Quinta. The closest is College of the Desert in Palm Desert, CA (9.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Moreno Valley College (55.4 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying biology roles near La Quinta?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles near La Quinta are: Medical Scientist ($138,390), Soil and Plant Scientist ($94,900), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($82,360). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Indio instead of La Quinta?

Indio, CA is 6.1 miles from La Quinta 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 La Quinta an affordable place to study biology?

La Quinta’s median household income of $97,628 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in La Quinta 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 La Quinta

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

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.