Best Online Biology Programs in Columbus, OH (2026)

Columbus, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs. Columbus has a population of about 906,480. Median household income is $65,327 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Columbus, OH metro area, the top-earning biology-related role is Medical Scientist at a median $84,300 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Biology Schools to Columbus

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

#1

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH 1.5 miles from Columbus BOC Score 80.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,409
Avg net price $17,339/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Ohio Dominican University

Columbus, OH 2.3 miles from Columbus BOC Score 43.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,748
Avg net price $20,079/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Capital University

Columbus, OH 3.3 miles from Columbus BOC Score 45.2
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,143
Avg net price $22,576/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Biology Wages Near Columbus

Columbus is part of the Columbus, OH metro area (BLS area code 18140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Ohio statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Medical Scientist$84,300Columbus, OH$88,272
Biological Technician$59,900Columbus, OH$62,723
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$75,400Columbus, OH$78,953
Soil and Plant Scientist$60,970Columbus, OH$63,843

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.


Columbus at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population906,480Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$65,327Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+38.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Columbus-Area Cities With Biology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited biology schools are near Columbus, OH?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near Columbus. The closest is Ohio State University-Main Campus in Columbus, OH (1.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Ohio Wesleyan University (21.9 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying biology roles near Columbus?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles near Columbus are: Medical Scientist ($84,300), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($75,400), Soil and Plant Scientist ($60,970). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Ohio statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Upper Arlington instead of Columbus?

Upper Arlington, OH is 5.3 miles from Columbus 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 Columbus an affordable place to study biology?

Columbus’s median household income of $65,327 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbus while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Ohio 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 Columbus

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

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.