Best Online Biology Programs in Erie, PA (2026)

Erie, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs, with tuition ranging from $15,972 to $34,081 per year for indexed programs. Erie has a population of about 94,156. Median household income is $43,397 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Pennsylvania, the top-earning biology-related role is Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist at a median $78,540 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Biology Schools to Erie

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer biology programs near Erie, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Erie city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

No school data available.

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


Biology Wages Near Erie

Erie is part of the Erie, PA metro area (BLS area code 21500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Medical Scientist$62,580Erie, PA$68,769
Biological Technician$54,950PA statewide$60,385
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$78,540PA statewide$86,308
Soil and Plant Scientist$70,550PA statewide$77,527

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.


Erie at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population94,156Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$43,397Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+22.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Erie-Area Cities With Biology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited biology schools are near Erie, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near Erie. The closest is Gannon University in Erie, PA (1.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Allegheny College (32.6 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying biology roles near Erie?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles near Erie are: Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($78,540), Soil and Plant Scientist ($70,550), Medical Scientist ($62,580). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Meadville instead of Erie?

Meadville, PA is 32.6 miles from Erie 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 Erie an affordable place to study biology?

Erie’s median household income of $43,397 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Erie while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Erie

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

Data verified: August 10, 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.