Best Online Biology Programs in Las Cruces, NM (2026)

Las Cruces, New Mexico has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs. Las Cruces has a population of about 112,612. Median household income is $55,176 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Las Cruces, NM metro area, the top-earning biology-related role is Soil and Plant Scientist at a median $76,400 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Biology Schools to Las Cruces

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

#1

New Mexico State University-Main Campus

Las Cruces, NM 1.0 miles from Las Cruces BOC Score 50.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,067
Avg net price $8,889/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Biology Wages Near Las Cruces

Las Cruces is part of the Las Cruces, NM metro area (BLS area code 29740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New Mexico statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Medical Scientist$67,100NM statewide$74,390
Biological Technician$49,570NM statewide$54,956
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$68,220NM statewide$75,632
Soil and Plant Scientist$76,400Las Cruces, NM$84,701

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.


Las Cruces at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population112,612Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$55,176Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+37.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)90.2 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Las Cruces-Area Cities With Biology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited biology schools are near Las Cruces, NM?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near Las Cruces. The closest is New Mexico State University-Main Campus in Las Cruces, NM (1.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Western New Mexico University (92.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying biology roles near Las Cruces?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles near Las Cruces are: Soil and Plant Scientist ($76,400), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($68,220), Medical Scientist ($67,100). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New Mexico statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Socorro instead of Las Cruces?

Socorro, TX is 56.8 miles from Las Cruces 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 Las Cruces an affordable place to study biology?

Las Cruces’s median household income of $55,176 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Las Cruces while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New Mexico 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 Las Cruces

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

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.