Best Online Biology Programs in York, PA (2026)

York, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs, with tuition ranging from $15,972 to $37,319 per year for indexed programs. York has a population of about 44,830. Median household income is $47,115 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the York-Hanover, PA metro area, the top-earning biology-related role is Medical Scientist at a median $80,450 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Biology Schools to York

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

#1

York College of Pennsylvania

York, PA 1.2 miles from York BOC Score 66.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,012
Avg net price $18,556/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,588
Out‑of‑state$25,588
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York

York, PA 1.7 miles from York BOC Score 38.7
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,435
Avg net price $19,047/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Biology Wages Near York

York is part of the York-Hanover, PA metro area (BLS area code 49620). 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$80,450York-Hanover, PA$83,802
Biological Technician$54,950PA statewide$57,240
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$78,540PA statewide$81,812
Soil and Plant Scientist$70,550PA statewide$73,490

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.


York at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population44,830Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$47,115Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)96.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other York-Area Cities With Biology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited biology schools are near York, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near York. The closest is York College of Pennsylvania in York, PA (1.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Millersville University of Pennsylvania (20.3 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying biology roles near York?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles near York are: Medical Scientist ($80,450), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($78,540), Soil and Plant Scientist ($70,550). 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 Hanover instead of York?

Hanover, PA is 17.0 miles from York 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 York an affordable place to study biology?

York’s median household income of $47,115 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in York 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 York

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

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 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.