10 Affordable Online Biology Degrees (2025)

Studying biology can be an entryway into a wide range of careers as well as prepare you for graduate education or a professional medical program.

Beyond healthcare, career options might include biotechnology, forensic science, food science, education, health communications, environmental biology, pharmaceuticals, veterinary services, or government health and human service agencies.

If you are a working professional hoping to enhance or upgrade your career by obtaining an online degree, we have good news. Many accredited universities are now offering affordable online biology degrees.

List of Affordable Biology Degrees Online

Below, we provide a listing of ten institutions where you can find an affordable online biology degree.

1. Life University

Georgia-based Life University, best known for its training of chiropractors and healthcare specialists, is home to an online undergraduate Bachelor of Science in biology degree program.

Taught on a quarter system, Life's biology curriculum has its foundations in natural sciences and natural health.

Students enroll in 60 quarter credit hours in the general education curriculum and 120 quarter credit hours in the major, with coursework in anatomy, biochemistry, cell biology, chemistry, genetics, organic chemistry, physics, and physiology.

Tuition, at $301 per credit hour, is an affordable $13,545 per year.

2. Logan University

As a healthcare-focused university known for training doctors of chiropractic and located in Chesterfield, Missouri, Logan University offers an online Bachelor of Science in human biology degree program.

The curriculum includes coursework in anatomy, biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, immunology, microbiology, physiology, and public health. Since many required courses are taught in an accelerated, 7-week format, most students can graduate in less than three years.

Tuition for the 122-credit-hour program is normally $375 per credit hour, but discounts are available to first-time freshmen entering with a 3.5+ GPA (at $225 per credit hour) and to transfer students entering with a 3.5+ GPA ($275 per credit hour).

3. Pennsylvania State University World Campus

Through Penn State's World Campus, you can earn an interdisciplinary, online Bachelor of Science in biobehavioral health that the university has developed with adult learners in mind.

Students in the program learn about the interplay between biological, psychological, sociocultural, behavioral, and environmental factors that underlie human health and disease and how they create health disparities among the population.

Interdisciplinary coursework also focuses on the critical evaluation of health and disease research, considering how interventions, policies, and programs might be developed that can improve health outcomes.

Tuition is differential, based on how many credits a student has earned. The per-credit rate of $632 -$678 comes to $7,678 -$8,288 per semester.

4. Unity Environmental University

Formerly Unity College, Maine's Unity Environmental University offers a unique online Bachelor of Science degree in marine biology and sustainable aquaculture.

Focused on teaching adult learners already working professionals, the curriculum addresses the biological connections between various oceans of the world, the role of the aquaculture industry,

and how to contribute to a sustainable marine environment.

UEU delivers its experiential programs 100% online with coursework in such relevant subjects as freshwater & marine resources, marine ecosystems, animal nutrition, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and overpopulation, and environmental justice.

Tuition is $470 per credit hour, with a military discount rate of $423. Financial aid is available.

5. University of Alaska Fairbanks

The Fairbanks campus of the University of Alaska is home to two online bachelor's degree programs in biological sciences: a Bachelor of Sciences and a Bachelor of Arts.

The UAF programs offer a distinctive perspective on biology, as it focuses on the rapidly changing subarctic environment. Research opportunities reflect faculty scholarship in ecosystem ecology, species interactions, microbial biology, and human health.

Students will gain specialized skills and training for careers in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest including biotechnology, wildlife and environment, health care, and field biology.

Compared to the BS program, the BA program is slightly more oriented to the social sciences than the hard sciences.

At a tuition rate of $289 per credit, the estimated total degree cost is $43,700.

6. University of Arizona

The University of Arizona offers four online bachelor's degrees in biology.

1. BS in biology with a biomedical sciences concentration

2. BS in biology with an organismal concentration

3. BS in bioinformatics

4. BA in ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB)

The BS in biology, with its two concentrations, focuses on biodiversity and the natural world as it prepares students for health and medicine careers as well as those in agriculture and environmental sciences.

The BS in bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary degree that integrates coursework in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and computer science.

The BA degree in EEB is for students interested in natural history and environmental issues but who do not want to pursue a scientific career.

Tuition for these online programs is $525 per credit hour, regardless of state residency.

7. University of Florida

The Bachelor of Arts in biology online degree program at the University of Florida offers a broad-based approach to the field that makes it suitable for students wanting careers in education, science journalism, healthcare, environmental law, or bioscience management.

Students enroll in coursework in biology, chemistry, math, and physics, plus a choice of courses from five groups.

• molecular biology, cellular biology, and genetics
• organismal biology
• ecology
• evolution and diversity
• biology and society

The capstone course involves a critical analysis of biological research. Tuition is $6380 per year for Florida residents (about $212 per credit hour) or $28,658 for nonresidents.

8. University of Maryland Global Campus

The distinctive online UMGC Bachelor of Science in biotechnology program can prepare you for a career in multiple fields, including pharmaceuticals, biomedical research, and agriculture.

Designed for transfer students, the program requires at least 11 prerequisite credits at another accredited institution, including general genetics with laboratory and biotechnology applications and techniques with laboratory.

Upper-level study includes coursework in biology, chemistry, and physics as well as microbiology, molecular and cellular biology, laboratory management and safety, and workplace learning in biology.

Tuition per credit hour is $318 (in-state), $499 (out-of-state), and $250 (military).

9. University of North Texas

Students searching for a distinctive and specialized biology degree for healthcare professionals should take a look at the online Bachelor of Science in biomedical sciences program from the University of North Texas.

Required courses include biomedical statistics, biomedical ethics, scientific communication for health professions, introduction to health disparities, fundamentals of psychology, biochemistry, human anatomy, human physiology, and applied microbiology.

Students can choose electives from a long list, including epidemiology, immunology, toxicology, biomedical entrepreneurship, or genetics and genomic medicine.

This four-semester degree completion program at this public university program can be completed in 16-21 months. Tuition and fees for the complete program are $22,475 for Texas residents and $53,795 for nonresidents.

10. Washington State University Global Campus

Washington State University is a public institution that provides an online Bachelor of Science in biology degree completion program through its Global Campus.

Students will need to transfer general education, including science, credits from an accredited institution.

WSU Global Campus courses will include animal and plant development, molecular and cell biology, disease biology, ecology, genetics, human anatomy, and physiology. Students also learn skills in research design, data analysis, scientific writing, and professional communications.

Tuition is $567.45 per credit for Washington residents and $632.60 for non-residents. Students may enroll in 10 to 18 credit hours per term for the cost of ten credit hours.

How Much Does an Online Biology Degree Program Cost?

Calculating the cost of a degree is a challenge since so many factors affect how much you would pay. Most schools provide either a per-credit-hour figure or a per-year figure (for full-time students).

The most affordable online biology degree programs cost between $200-$350 per credit hour.

Your total cost may vary depending on how many credits you need to complete your degree. Be sure to also check to see if additional fees will be assessed.

How To Pay For an Online Biology Degree

Be sure to consult with a college financial aid officer to guide you to all the resources available to you, such as low-interest loans, grants, and scholarships.

Other discounts may be based on your age, military background, or profession (such as law enforcement or a government employee).

Don't forget to see if your employer offers a tuition assistance program.

Is an Online Biology Degree Worth It?

If you aspire to a scientific career related to humans, animals, or the environment, then an online biology degree could be exactly what you need to fast-track you into a new position.

Find an Online Biology Degree Program Today

Beginning with the programs we've listed above, reach out and talk to admissions and financial aid officers about how you can earn an affordable online biology degree.