Best Online Biology Programs in Appleton, WI (2026)

Appleton, Wisconsin has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs, with tuition ranging from $35,178 to $69,849 per year for indexed programs. Appleton has a population of about 74,873. Median household income is $77,450 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Wisconsin, the top-earning biology-related role is Medical Scientist at a median $82,530 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Biology Schools to Appleton

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

#1

Lawrence University

Appleton, WI 1.6 miles from Appleton BOC Score 59.4
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 64%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,789
Avg net price $23,401/yr
Tuition
In‑state$56,982
Out‑of‑state$56,982
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Biology Wages Near Appleton

Appleton is part of the Appleton, WI metro area (BLS area code 11540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Wisconsin statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Medical Scientist$82,530WI statewide$89,318
Biological Technician$51,750WI statewide$56,006
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$68,370WI statewide$73,994
Soil and Plant Scientist$65,290Appleton, WI$70,660

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.


Appleton at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population74,873Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$77,450Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+37.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)92.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Appleton-Area Cities With Biology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited biology schools are near Appleton, WI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near Appleton. The closest is Lawrence University in Appleton, WI (1.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Marian University (34.6 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying biology roles near Appleton?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles near Appleton are: Medical Scientist ($82,530), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($68,370), Soil and Plant Scientist ($65,290). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Wisconsin statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Neenah instead of Appleton?

Neenah, WI is 8.7 miles from Appleton 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 Appleton an affordable place to study biology?

Appleton’s median household income of $77,450 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Appleton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Wisconsin 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 Appleton

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

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.