Best Online Biology Programs in Sioux City, IA (2026)

Sioux City, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs, with tuition ranging from $9,432 to $24,422 per year for indexed programs. Sioux City has a population of about 85,651. Median household income is $65,473 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning biology-related role is Soil and Plant Scientist at a median $96,310 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Biology Schools to Sioux City

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

#1

Morningside University

Sioux City, IA 2.1 miles from Sioux City BOC Score 46.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,494
Avg net price $31,320/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Western Iowa Tech Community College

Sioux City, IA 2.5 miles from Sioux City BOC Score 57.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,473
Avg net price $8,770/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 69

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Briar Cliff University

Sioux City, IA 2.7 miles from Sioux City BOC Score 43.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,475
Avg net price $23,907/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Biology Wages Near Sioux City

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Iowa, statewide)
Medical Scientist$83,850
Biological Technician$48,050
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$83,000
Soil and Plant Scientist$96,310

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.


Sioux City at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population85,651Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$65,473Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+21.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)86.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Sioux City-Area Cities With Biology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited biology schools are near Sioux City, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near Sioux City. The closest is Morningside University in Sioux City, IA (2.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Wayne State College (36.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying biology roles in Iowa?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles in Iowa are: Soil and Plant Scientist ($96,310), Medical Scientist ($83,850), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($83,000). Wages for Sioux City workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Norfolk instead of Sioux City?

Norfolk, NE is 61.6 miles from Sioux City 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 Sioux City an affordable place to study biology?

Sioux City’s median household income of $65,473 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sioux City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa 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 Sioux City

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

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.