Best Online Associate in Biology

Best Online Associate in Biology

Find top-ranked online associate in biology degree programs to prepare students to pursue undergraduate degrees in fields like pre-nursing, pre-med, pre-vet, pre-pharmacy, wildlife biology, and laboratory sciences.

Top 10 Online Associate in Biology Degree Programs

Sort by:

          Key Takeaways

          • The associate degree in biology is an affordable way to get started on your college education. The typical associate degree will take about two years to complete.

          • Many community colleges and two-year schools offer both traditional and online degree programs for students pursuing their associate degree in biology.

          • Earning an online associate degree in biology can prepare you for a variety of entry level jobs in your field. Many students also continue into a bachelor’s degree program in biology or a related area.

          Featured Programs

          Frequently Asked Questions About Biology Degrees

          Earning an associate degree in biology can be a great starting point for a wide range of career paths in the natural sciences. While students who wish to pursue careers in the biological sciences will often be required to earn a bachelor’s degree or even a graduate degree, the associate-level biology degree program is an affordable and accessible way to get started.

          Back to Top

          This two-year associate of science degree provides the framework needed to pursue undergraduate degrees in fields like pre-nursing, pre-med, pre-vet, pre-pharmacy, wildlife biology, and laboratory sciences. It can also be an affordable way to help prepare students for entry-level technician and laboratory positions, though many employers will require at least a four-year degree for certain jobs.

          Back to Top

          Students can pursue this 60-credit, two-year degree either on-campus or through an array of highly reputable online biology degree programs. Whether pursuing a traditional on online biology degree, students will study an array of life sciences subjects like molecular biology, organic chemistry, anatomy, cell biology and more. Most students will also be required to complete general education courses alongside biology degree program courses. Biology majors will also learn critical skills in areas like math, research, and laboratory practices. In fact, some online biology degree programs may even require a component of on campus lab work.

          If you are interested in a degree that focuses on the health sciences, check out the Best Online Associate in Health Sciences degree programs.

          Back to Top

          Learn more about how to major in biology.

          Even if you are considering an online biology degree program, you may still want to visit campus before choosing your degree program. Find out why visiting campus is a smart move.

          Best Online Associate in Biology Programs
          Download Badge

          An associate degree is a great way for many to start their educational journey, but you may want to also consider an online bachelor’s in biology.

          Median Salaries of Similar Careers in the U.S.

          The following graph depicts the average salaries of similar occupations to Biological Scientists, All Other in the U.S.

          Source: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

          Annual Salary
          87820Microbiologists
          90010Biological Scientists, All Other
          94430Life Scientists, All Other
          104050Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
          113460Biochemists and Biophysicists

          Best Online Associate in Biology Degree Programs

          1. Tuition + fees

            $2K

            Graduation

            18%

            Student body

            4K

            Online Degrees

            AS in Biology
            • Required Credits: 60-74
            • Completion time: None Reported
            • Format: Online
          2. Tuition + fees

            $5K

            Graduation

            18%

            Student body

            4K

            Online Degrees

            AS in Biology Designation
            • Required Credits: 60-61
            • Completion time: None Reported
            • Format: Online
          3. #3

            College of Southern Idaho

            Twin Falls , ID

            Tuition + fees

            $5K

            Graduation

            27%

            Student body

            4K

            Online Degrees

            AS in Biology
            • Required Credits: 60
            • Completion time: 2 years
            • Format: Online
          4. Tuition + fees

            $2K

            Graduation

            17%

            Student body

            11K

            Online Degrees

            AA in Liberal Arts

            Concentrations

            • General
            • Administration of Justice
            • Anthropology
            • Biology
            • Communication
            • Early Childhood Education
            • Elementary Education
            • English
            • Ethnic
            • Gender and Transborder Studies
            • Fashion Design
            • History
            • Political Science
            • Social Services
            • Sociology
            • Translation and Interpretation Studies
            • Required Credits: 60-64
            • Completion time: None Reported
            • Format: Online
          5. Tuition + fees

            $5K

            Graduation

            24%

            Student body

            3K

            Online Degrees

            AA in Biology
            • Required Credits: 60
            • Completion time: 2-3 years
            • Format: Online
          6. Tuition + fees

            $3K

            Graduation

            23%

            Student body

            4K

            Online Degrees

            AS in Biology
            • Required Credits: 64
            • Completion time: None Reported
            • Format: Online
          7. #7

            Coastline Community College

            Fountain Valley , CA

            Tuition + fees

            $1K

            Graduation

            25%

            Student body

            4K

            Online Degrees

            AS in Biology and Allied Health Program

            Concentrations

            • Biology
            • Required Credits: 60
            • Completion time: 2-3 years
            • Format: Online
          8. Tuition + fees

            $4K

            Graduation

            31%

            Student body

            4K

            Online Degrees

            AS in Biology
            • Required Credits: 60
            • Completion time: 2 years
            • Format: Online
          9. #9

            Kishwaukee College

            Malta , IL

            Tuition + fees

            $9K

            Graduation

            43%

            Student body

            2K

            Online Degrees

            AS in Biology
            • Required Credits: 60
            • Completion time: 2 years
            • Format: Online
          10. #10

            Rio Salado College

            Tempe , AZ

            Tuition + fees

            $2K

            Graduation

            9%

            Student body

            10K

            Online Degrees

            AS in Biology
            • Required Credits: 60-74
            • Completion time: None Reported
            • Format: Online
          11. #11

            Georgia Military College

            Milledgeville , GA

            Tuition + fees

            $7K

            Graduation

            28%

            Student body

            7K

            Online Degrees

            AA in Science

            Concentrations

            • Biology
            • Required Credits: 100
            • Completion time: 24 months
            • Format: Online
            AS in Science

            Concentrations

            • Biology
            • Required Credits: 95
            • Completion time: 24 months
            • Format: Online
          Back to Top

          Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

          If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

          No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?

          If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.

          In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

          Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

          Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.

          As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.

          In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

          Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

          If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).

          While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

          The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

          Resources for Online College-Bound Students

          Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

          Image Attributions