by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 317 U.S. colleges awarded 9,697 degrees and certificates in Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 52% of graduates. College Factual ranks 159 schools in its 2027 Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $44,645 one year after completing, rising to $66,409 after four years.
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology is all about nature and how the webs of living and nonliving things interact. If you choose this major, you will learn how organisms develop and evolve throughout time, study their relationships with each other, and see how organisms and the environment work together in complex ecosystems.
Some of the classes may take include: biodiversity, conservation biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, genetics, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and advanced mathematics.
As you study, you will gain a big picture in nature as well as knowledge of the tiny creatures that make it possible. You may choose to focus on populations and the reasons behind why a particular species thrives or dies. As you continue towards your degree, you may be able to pick a specialization. Some of the concentrations available at various schools are Ecology, Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography, Evolutionary Biology, Aquatic Biology/Limnology, Environmental Biology, Population Biology, Conservation Biology, Systematic Biology, and Epidemiology.
Studying Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology explores Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, And Population Biology.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., ecology, evolution & systematics biology is a popular field of study, with 9,697 degrees awarded annually. 317 colleges award ecology, evolution & systematics biology degrees, an average of 31 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 303.
By level, the 9,697 awards include 1 certificates, 18 associate degrees, 5,005 bachelor’s degrees, 3,727 master’s degrees and 937 doctorates.
Women earned 69% of ecology, evolution & systematics biology degrees and certificates in the latest year (6,691 of 9,697). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (5,322) and Hispanic or Latino (1,167), and international students earned 1,233.
College Factual ranks 159 schools in its 2027 Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools ranking, including 1 for associate degrees, 101 for bachelor’s degrees, 82 for master’s degrees and 33 for doctorates. It also ranks ecology, evolution & systematics biology schools within 41 states. In all, 317 colleges offer ecology, evolution & systematics biology programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common ecology, evolution & systematics biology credential is the bachelor’s degree: 5,005 of the 9,697 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to ecology, evolution & systematics biology call most for Reading Comprehension, Active Listening and Speaking, and for knowledge of Biology, English Language and Education and Training, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
The most successful students in this major enjoy nature and the outdoors. You will be working with all types of natural systems and you may have to hike to remote locations in order to collect specimens or observe natural environments. Be ready for a lot of lab work observing, analyzing and experimenting with a variety of animals and plants. Students will need to learn to synthesize information from a variety of classes and subjects in order to draw conclusions.
Interpersonal skills are very important in this field. You will be working very closely with your peers and your professors. You need to be able to communicate effectively and collaborate well with others. Writing skills will help you complete lab reports and document your research clearly. Most colleges will require you to get an internship or a job working in the field over the summer. Some colleges will allow you to research with your professors over the summer.
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How long an ecology, evolution & systematics biology degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 18 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 5,005 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 3,727 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 937 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to ecology, evolution & systematics biology, at 29.1%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 29.1% |
| Master’s degree | 23.0% |
| Post-doctoral training | 19.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 18.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.8% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.3% |
| Some college courses | 1.5% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.2% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.5% |
Source: O*NET Online.
22 occupations are related to Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology, with an average median salary of $89,581; the strongest outlook belongs to Conservation Scientists, at 13.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Associate Professor, Instructor, College Faculty Member and Professor.
This broad major prepares graduates for many different career paths. Some students continue their education with a Master's Degree. Others obtain work as an environmental researcher for public or private institutions. Graduates also find work as park rangers, natural science managers, bioinformatics scientists, or even biology teachers.
The occupation related to ecology, evolution & systematics biology with the most projected jobs is Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,335,407.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | 542,888 | 10.4% |
| Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 497,622 | 4.3% |
| Statisticians | 307,132 | 6.6% |
| Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 287,657 | 10.6% |
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 276,211 | 6.3% |
| Biological Technicians | 224,048 | 12.8% |
| Conservation Scientists | 208,826 | 13.4% |
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics 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 ecology, evolution & systematics biology is Water Resource Specialists, with a median salary of $179,716.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Water Resource Specialists | $179,716 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $132,227 |
| Statisticians | $130,349 |
| Biostatisticians | $121,594 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $111,314 |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | $110,931 |
| Biological Technicians | $100,160 |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | $100,077 |
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology includes 12 concentrations that together award 9,697 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Epidemiology (3,015), Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography (2,663) and Ecology (1,199). It has 14 similar majors in the Biological & Biomedical Sciences field, which together award 177,406 degrees a year; the largest are Biology, General (103,797), Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (14,729) and Neurobiology and Neurosciences (13,720). Browse all Biological & Biomedical Sciences majors or the full list of college majors.
| 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 |
| Systematic Biology/Biological Systematics | 24 |
| Population Biology | 10 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Biology, General | 103,797 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 14,729 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 13,720 |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 12,732 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 6,673 |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 4,879 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 4,738 |
| Biotechnology | 4,423 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 4,228 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 3,447 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
