Best Online Biology Programs in Kearney, NE (2026)

Kearney, Nebraska has 3 accredited schools offering biology programs. Kearney has a population of about 34,024. Median household income is $69,790 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 36.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Nebraska, the top-earning biology-related role is Medical Scientist at a median $80,970 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Biology Schools to Kearney

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

#1

University of Nebraska at Kearney

Kearney, NE 0.7 miles from Kearney BOC Score 54.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,105
Avg net price $16,242/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Biology Wages Near Kearney

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Nebraska, statewide)
Medical Scientist$80,970
Biological Technician$48,220
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$57,890
Soil and Plant Scientist$77,500

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.


Kearney at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population34,024Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$69,790Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+36.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Kearney-Area Cities With Biology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited biology schools are near Kearney, NE?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering biology programs near Kearney. The closest is University of Nebraska at Kearney in Kearney, NE (0.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is York University (79.5 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying biology roles in Nebraska?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles in Nebraska are: Medical Scientist ($80,970), Soil and Plant Scientist ($77,500), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($57,890). Wages for Kearney workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Hastings instead of Kearney?

Hastings, NE is 37.0 miles from Kearney 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 Kearney an affordable place to study biology?

Kearney’s median household income of $69,790 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Kearney while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Nebraska 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 Kearney

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

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.