Best Online Biology Programs in Paducah, KY (2026)

Paducah, Kentucky has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs, with tuition ranging from $18,712 to $31,203 per year for indexed programs. Paducah has a population of about 26,894. Median household income is $51,243 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kentucky, the top-earning biology-related role is Medical Scientist at a median $77,580 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Biology Schools to Paducah

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

#1

Murray State University

Murray, KY 36.3 miles from Paducah BOC Score 58.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,737
Avg net price $9,096/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Kentucky Wesleyan College

Owensboro, KY 95.9 miles from Paducah BOC Score 40.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 72%
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,747
Avg net price $17,131/yr
Tuition
In‑state$34,673
Out‑of‑state$34,673
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 59%
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Brescia University

Owensboro, KY 96.9 miles from Paducah BOC Score 43.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,500
Avg net price $8,709/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, KY 120.7 miles from Paducah BOC Score 52.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,889
Avg net price $10,990/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Louisville

Louisville, KY 176.5 miles from Paducah BOC Score 59.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 79%
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,899
Avg net price $17,988/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,136
Out‑of‑state$29,482
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Bellarmine University

Louisville, KY 179.2 miles from Paducah BOC Score 63.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,069
Avg net price $21,499/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Campbellsville University

Campbellsville, KY 182.2 miles from Paducah BOC Score 33.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,583
Avg net price $19,341/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Lindsey Wilson College

Columbia, KY 184.2 miles from Paducah BOC Score 39.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,129
Avg net price $15,070/yr
Tuition
In‑state$27,808
Out‑of‑state$27,808
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Biology Wages Near Paducah

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Kentucky, statewide)
Medical Scientist$77,580
Biological Technician$48,910
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$61,950
Soil and Plant Scientist$67,340

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.


Paducah at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population26,894Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$51,243Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+28.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)86.1 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Paducah-Area Cities With Biology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited biology schools are near Paducah, KY?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near Paducah. The closest is Murray State University in Murray, KY (36.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bethel University (64.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying biology roles in Kentucky?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles in Kentucky are: Medical Scientist ($77,580), Soil and Plant Scientist ($67,340), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($61,950). Wages for Paducah workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Murray instead of Paducah?

Murray, KY is 36.2 miles from Paducah 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 Paducah an affordable place to study biology?

Paducah’s median household income of $51,243 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Paducah while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kentucky 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 Paducah

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

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.