The Best Online Bachelor's Degrees in Biology
Everything you need to know about online biology degree programs at the bachelor’s level, including a list of today’s top schools, curriculum details, and career options.
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An online biology degree is an excellent way for science-minded students to learn the intricacies of how the living world works. If you want to study a subject with significant educational and professional potential, including medical school down the road or work in pharmaceuticals or research, majoring in biology is a great option.
Finding the school can be difficult, no matter the subject or the learning mode. To help, EduMed.org has researched more than 7,700 schools to identify those with the best-in-class online degree programs in biology. Each college and university in the ranking has a winning combination of affordability, student support, and academic rigor. See who stands out as the top online biology programs for 2025.
Indiana University-East
Richmond, Indiana
Public
The University of West Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Public
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Public
Columbia College
Columbia, South Carolina
Private
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
Public
Indiana University-Southeast
New Albany, Indiana
Public
Logan University
Chesterfield, Missouri
Private
Arizona State University Digital Immersion
Scottsdale, Arizona
Public
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, Minnesota
Public
Life University
Marietta, Georgia
Private
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Public
Florida International University
Miami, Florida
Public
University of Florida-Online
Gainesville, Florida
Public
Mayville State University
Mayville, North Dakota
Public
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington
Public
Kean University
Union, New Jersey
Public
San Bernardino Valley College
San Bernardino, California
Public
College of San Mateo
San Mateo, California
Public
Barton County Community College
Great Bend, Kansas
Public
Holmes Community College
Goodman, Mississippi
Public
Pasadena City College
Pasadena, California
Public
Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell Campus
Roswell, New Mexico
Public
Amarillo College
Amarillo, Texas
Public
Mesa Community College
Mesa, Arizona
Public
Southern University at Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Public
Lamar Institute of Technology
Beaumont, Texas
Public
Seward County Community College
Liberal, Kansas
Public
Mt Hood Community College
Gresham, Oregon
Public
Oklahoma City Community College
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Public
FAQs About Online Biology Degrees
Perusing school websites and reading program profiles helps you learn programs details before applying. Knowing how prospective programs work and what to expect will help you make an informed decision. Below are answers to some key questions, including overall costs, career prospects, and learning outcomes.
What do you learn in an online biology degree program at the bachelor’s level?
Every school is unique, and each online bachelor’s degree in biology provides programming specific to its own approach. That said, most programs administer a program designed to achieve common learning outcomes with similar requirements.
Core topics include foundations in scientific principles with emphasis on the structure, evolution, and interaction of organic life forms across a range of diverse ecosystems. Prospective students can expect to develop the following set of skills.
- The ability to apply proven scientific principles to pressing questions and problems in biology, including gathering data, making reasoned observations, formulating hypotheses, and conducting experiments designed to test hypotheses.
- A clear understanding of existing literature and research in biological science along with the critical capacity to analyze, assess, and communicate technical information to diverse audiences.
- An awareness of the ethical issues and societal problems often arising from biological investigation and the expertise necessary to recognize how those concerns can further advance the field in conversation with other disciplines.
- A deep understanding of the relationship between function and structure according to different biological scales, including how genetic information is stored and encoded and how evolutionary processes support biodiversity.
- Expert knowledge of how insights from mathematics, physics, and organic chemistry support biological inquiry, along with hard skills in the primary practices and techniques used in lab-based testing and research.
Common Online Biology Courses
- Introduction to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
This course introduces students to the principles of physics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and intermediary metabolism. It surveys the structure of nucleic acids, proteins, and enzyme kinetics and looks at processes of gene expression in RNA and DNA. In some programs, the class calls for prerequisites in organic chemistry or a related lab science. - Evolutionary Biology Survey
This class gives an introductory overview of evolutionary theory, including its origins in the early 20th century, its development in conversation with other disciplines, and its contemporary applications. Emphasis is given to evolutionary processes at the molecular and organismal levels along with speciation and genome evolution. - Applied Physics
A foundational building block for interdisciplinary inquiry, this course focuses on physics applications specific to biological science. It requires working knowledge of algebra and trigonometry and looks at motion mechanics, energy discharge, heat conduction, and applied optics. The course often involves a hands-on lab component in an interactive setting. - Vertebrate Zoology
Usually an optional elective, this course develops skills for aspiring zoologists and conservationists. It examines the characteristics, classification, and common features of vertebrate animals with focus on their evolution and natural history. Topics include natural selection phenomena, climate ecology, and instances of mass extinction. - Cell Biology
This major requirement provides a high-level survey of the basic features and functions of cells along with the main modes of inquiry used to examine them. It looks at how the cell works as the fundamental unit of all organic life, including biochemical mechanisms, metabolism, cytoplasm, and DNA replication.