by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 3 U.S. colleges awarded 10 degrees and certificates in Population Biology. Doctorates are the most popular award, at 50% of graduates. Graduates earn a median $44,645 one year after completing, rising to $66,409 after four years.
A major in Population Biology explores Population Biology. A Program That Focuses On The Scientific Study Of The Natural History, Life Cycle Behavior, And Ecosystem Dynamics Of Single Species And Multi-Species Communities, And The Patterns And Causes Of Diversity Within And Among Such Populations. Includes Instruction In Biostatistics, Population Dynamics, Population And Quantitative Genetics, Rna And Dna Sequences, Genomics, Evolutionary Ecology, Natural Adaptation And Hybridization, Geographic Differentiation, Life History And Life Cycle Studies, And Animal And Plant Demography.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, population biology is a popular field of study, with 10 degrees awarded annually. 3 colleges award population biology degrees, an average of 3 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 6.
By level, the 10 awards include 1 bachelor’s degrees, 4 master’s degrees and 5 doctorates.
Women earned 80% of population biology degrees and certificates in the latest year (8 of 10). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (7) and Hispanic or Latino (2).
The most common population biology credential is the doctorate: 5 of the 10 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to population biology call most for Science, Reading Comprehension and Speaking, and for knowledge of Biology, English Language and Education and Training, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Expression and Written Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a population biology degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 4 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 5 |
Post-doctoral training is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to population biology, at 34.1%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Post-doctoral training | 34.1% |
| Doctoral degree | 27.3% |
| Master’s degree | 23.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 12.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.5% |
Source: O*NET Online.
6 occupations are related to Population Biology, with an average median salary of $69,292; the strongest outlook belongs to Biological Scientists, All Other, at 9.2% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Scientist, Research Scientist, Biologist and Neurophysiologist.
The occupation related to population biology with the most projected jobs is Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary, at 276,211.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 276,211 | 6.3% |
| Geneticists | 183,832 | -1.1% |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | 164,357 | 8.7% |
| Biologists | 118,631 | -3.6% |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | 23,620 | 9.2% |
| Bioinformatics Scientists | 11,006 | 5.4% |
Population Biology graduates earn a median $44,645 one year after completing their program, $66,409 after four years and $64,232 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $44,645 |
| 4 years | $66,409 |
| 5 years | $64,232 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to population biology is Molecular and Cellular Biologists, with a median salary of $100,077.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | $100,077 |
| Bioinformatics Scientists | $92,484 |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $79,550 |
| Biologists | $54,070 |
| Geneticists | $48,526 |
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $41,048 |
Population Biology has 11 similar majors in the Biological & Biomedical Sciences field, which together award 9,687 degrees a year; the largest are Epidemiology (3,015), Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography (2,663) and Ecology (1,199). Browse all Biological & Biomedical Sciences majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Epidemiology | 3,015 |
| Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography | 2,663 |
| Ecology | 1,199 |
| Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | 935 |
| Environmental Biology | 490 |
| Conservation Biology | 431 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics and Population Biology, Other | 346 |
| Epidemiology and Biostatistics | 248 |
| Evolutionary Biology | 207 |
| Aquatic Biology/Limnology | 129 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.