Best Biology Schools Near Columbus, IN (2026)

Columbus, Indiana has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs, with tuition ranging from $10,762 to $58,821 per year for indexed programs. Columbus has a population of about 51,970. In Indiana, the top-earning biology-related role is Medical Scientist at a median $81,110 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Biology Schools to Columbus

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

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Franklin College

Franklin, IN 19.9 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
43.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 70%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,376
Avg net price $22,855/yr
Tuition
In‑state$38,710
Out‑of‑state$38,710
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Indiana University-Bloomington

Bloomington, IN 32.5 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
82.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,742
Avg net price $16,264/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 192

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Indianapolis

Indianapolis, IN 36.5 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
51.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 66%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,610
Avg net price $21,602/yr
Tuition
In‑state$37,200
Out‑of‑state$37,200
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Indiana University-Indianapolis

Indianapolis, IN 41.3 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
60.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,198
Avg net price $11,668/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,762
Out‑of‑state$34,891
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 204

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Hanover College

Hanover, IN 42.1 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
51.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 84%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,957
Avg net price $21,829/yr
Tuition
In‑state$44,638
Out‑of‑state$44,638
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Marian University

Indianapolis, IN 44.5 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,759
Avg net price $24,018/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Butler University

Indianapolis, IN 45.5 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $77,235
Avg net price $36,041/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 83

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

DePauw University

Greencastle, IN 58.4 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
68.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 57%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,527
Avg net price $22,264/yr
Tuition
In‑state$59,070
Out‑of‑state$59,070
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Biology Wages Near Columbus

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Indiana, statewide)
Medical Scientist$81,110
Biological Technician$58,790
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$54,670
Soil and Plant Scientist$80,030

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.


Columbus at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Columbus-Area Cities With Biology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited biology schools are near Columbus, IN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near Columbus. The closest is Franklin College in Franklin, IN (19.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hanover College (42.1 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying biology roles in Indiana?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles in Indiana are: Medical Scientist ($81,110), Soil and Plant Scientist ($80,030), Biological Technician ($58,790). Wages for Columbus workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Seymour instead of Columbus?

Seymour, IN is 18.0 miles from Columbus 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.

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 Columbus

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

Data verified: August 31, 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.