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Best Online Biology Programs in Urbandale, IA (2026)
Urbandale, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs, with tuition ranging from $47,656 to $61,227 per year for indexed programs. Urbandale has a population of about 46,026. Median household income is $113,086 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 51.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, the top-earning biology-related role is Soil and Plant Scientist at a median $132,290 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Biology Schools to Urbandale
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer biology programs near Urbandale, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Urbandale 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 Iowa schools on the Iowa biology page.
Biology Wages Near Urbandale
Urbandale is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area (BLS area code 19780). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Scientist | $95,200 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $103,817 |
| Biological Technician | $48,050 | IA statewide | $52,399 |
| Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist | $83,000 | IA statewide | $90,513 |
| Soil and Plant Scientist | $132,290 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $144,264 |
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.
Urbandale at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 46,026 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $113,086 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 51.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 91.7 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Urbandale-Area Cities With Biology Programs
- Johnston, IA – 4.6 mi away (21,114 pop)
- West Des Moines, IA – 6.0 mi away (64,560 pop)
- Des Moines, IA – 10.0 mi away (476,689 pop)
- Ankeny, IA – 11.1 mi away (58,627 pop)
- Ames, IA – 27.9 mi away (67,841 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited biology schools are near Urbandale, IA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near Urbandale. The closest is Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center in West Des Moines, IA (7.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Simpson College (21.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying biology roles near Urbandale?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles near Urbandale are: Soil and Plant Scientist ($132,290), Medical Scientist ($95,200), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($83,000). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Iowa statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Johnston instead of Urbandale?
Johnston, IA is 4.6 miles from Urbandale 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 Urbandale an affordable place to study biology?
Urbandale’s median household income of $113,086 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Urbandale 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
- Is a Biology degree worth it?
- Main Biology degree guide
- Online Biology programs in Iowa
- Biology programs by state
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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.