Best Online Biology Programs in Worcester, MA (2026)

Worcester, Massachusetts has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs, with tuition ranging from $58,867 to $68,432 per year for indexed programs. Worcester has a population of about 205,501. Median household income is $67,544 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Worcester, MA metro area, the top-earning biology-related role is Medical Scientist at a median $105,310 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Biology Schools to Worcester

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

#1

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA 0.3 miles from Worcester BOC Score 77.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $103,470
Avg net price $43,071/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Clark University

Worcester, MA 1.6 miles from Worcester BOC Score 69.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 40%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,381
Avg net price $28,714/yr
Tuition
In‑state$58,867
Out‑of‑state$58,867
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Worcester State University

Worcester, MA 1.8 miles from Worcester BOC Score 69.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,624
Avg net price $13,381/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Assumption University

Worcester, MA 2.0 miles from Worcester BOC Score 68.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $74,895
Avg net price $29,498/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School

Worcester, MA 2.4 miles from Worcester
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 1

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, MA 2.6 miles from Worcester BOC Score 67.9
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $90,543
Avg net price $38,782/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Quinsigamond Community College

Worcester, MA 3.1 miles from Worcester BOC Score 58.1
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,949
Avg net price $9,090/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Biology Wages Near Worcester

Worcester is part of the Worcester, MA metro area (BLS area code 49340). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Massachusetts statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Medical Scientist$105,310Worcester, MA$102,741
Biological Technician$69,730Worcester, MA$68,029
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$93,930Worcester, MA$91,639
Soil and Plant Scientist$69,880MA statewide$68,176

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.


Worcester at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population205,501Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$67,544Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+34.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)102.5 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Worcester-Area Cities With Biology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited biology schools are near Worcester, MA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near Worcester. The closest is Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA (0.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (2.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying biology roles near Worcester?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles near Worcester are: Medical Scientist ($105,310), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($93,930), Soil and Plant Scientist ($69,880). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Massachusetts statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Marlborough instead of Worcester?

Marlborough, MA is 14.4 miles from Worcester 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 Worcester an affordable place to study biology?

Worcester’s median household income of $67,544 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Worcester while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Massachusetts 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 Worcester

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

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.