Best Online Biology Programs in Helena, MT (2026)

Helena, Montana has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs, with tuition ranging from $8,340 to $43,477 per year for indexed programs. Helena has a population of about 33,126. Median household income is $69,341 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 50.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Montana, the top-earning biology-related role is Medical Scientist at a median $101,950 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Biology Schools to Helena

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

#1

Carroll College

Helena, MT 1.1 miles from Helena BOC Score 66.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,772
Avg net price $23,960/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Biology Wages Near Helena

Helena is part of the Helena, MT metro area (BLS area code 25740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Montana statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Medical Scientist$101,950MT statewide$106,531
Biological Technician$50,430Helena, MT$52,696
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$84,230Helena, MT$88,015
Soil and Plant Scientist$73,920MT statewide$77,241

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.


Helena at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population33,126Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$69,341Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+50.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Helena-Area Cities With Biology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited biology schools are near Helena, MT?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near Helena. The closest is Carroll College in Helena, MT (1.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is The University of Montana (95.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying biology roles near Helena?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles near Helena are: Medical Scientist ($101,950), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($84,230), Soil and Plant Scientist ($73,920). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Montana statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Butte instead of Helena?

Butte, MT is 56.8 miles from Helena 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 Helena an affordable place to study biology?

Helena’s median household income of $69,341 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Helena while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Montana 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 Helena

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

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.