BestOnlineCollege.org is an advertising-supported website. Many of the school and program listings that appear on this site are from partners who compensate us, and this compensation may affect how, where, and in what order listings appear (such as featured placements). This compensation does not influence our editorial content, evaluations, or rankings, which are determined independently using publicly available data. We do not review or feature every school or program available in the marketplace. Our goal is to provide accurate, unbiased information so you can make informed decisions. Read our full Advertiser Disclosure.
Best Online Biology Programs in Ottawa, IL (2026)
Ottawa, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs, with tuition ranging from $39,200 to $47,313 per year for indexed programs. Ottawa has a population of about 18,714. Median household income is $73,011 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning biology-related role is Medical Scientist at a median $82,330 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Biology Schools to Ottawa
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer biology programs near Ottawa, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ottawa city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois biology page.
Biology Wages Near Ottawa
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage (Illinois, statewide) |
|---|---|
| Medical Scientist | $82,330 |
| Biological Technician | $55,790 |
| Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist | $79,780 |
| Soil and Plant Scientist | $79,490 |
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.
Ottawa at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,714 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $73,011 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 21.9% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
Other Ottawa-Area Cities With Biology Programs
- Peru, IL – 15.7 mi away (30,795 pop)
- Braidwood, IL – 32.1 mi away (22,563 pop)
- Oswego, IL – 34.3 mi away (34,571 pop)
- Plainfield, IL – 36.4 mi away (42,933 pop)
- Joliet, IL – 37.2 mi away (148,262 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited biology schools are near Ottawa, IL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near Ottawa. The closest is Aurora University in Aurora, IL (37.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is North Central College (46.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying biology roles in Illinois?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles in Illinois are: Medical Scientist ($82,330), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($79,780), Soil and Plant Scientist ($79,490). Wages for Ottawa workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Should I look at programs in Peru instead of Ottawa?
Peru, IL is 15.7 miles from Ottawa 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 Ottawa an affordable place to study biology?
Ottawa’s median household income of $73,011 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ottawa while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois 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
- Is a Biology degree worth it?
- Main Biology degree guide
- Online Biology programs in Illinois
- Biology programs by state
Other Programs Available in Ottawa
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Ottawa:
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Ottawa, IL
- Machine Learning programs in Ottawa, IL
- Supply Chain Management programs in Ottawa, IL
- Data Analytics programs in Ottawa, IL
- Public Health programs in Ottawa, IL
- Human Resources programs in Ottawa, IL
- Project Management programs in Ottawa, IL
- Special Education programs in Ottawa, IL
- Homeland Security programs in Ottawa, IL
- Marketing programs in Ottawa, IL
- Finance programs in Ottawa, IL
- Kinesiology programs in Ottawa, IL
- Sports Management programs in Ottawa, IL
- Early Childhood Education programs in Ottawa, IL
- Elementary Education programs in Ottawa, IL
- Communications programs in Ottawa, IL
- Graphic Design programs in Ottawa, IL
- Human Services programs in Ottawa, IL
- MBA programs in Ottawa, IL
- Criminal Justice programs in Ottawa, IL
- Nursing programs in Ottawa, IL
- Business Administration programs in Ottawa, IL
- Computer Science programs in Ottawa, IL
- Psychology programs in Ottawa, IL
- Education programs in Ottawa, IL
- Engineering programs in Ottawa, IL
- Technology programs in Ottawa, IL
- Liberal Arts programs in Ottawa, IL
- Healthcare programs in Ottawa, IL
- Cybersecurity programs in Ottawa, IL
- Accounting programs in Ottawa, IL
- Healthcare Administration programs in Ottawa, IL
- Social Work programs in Ottawa, IL
- Counseling programs in Ottawa, IL
Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
- Best Online Colleges Ranking
- Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students
Data verified: August 10, 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.