by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 51 U.S. colleges awarded 490 degrees and certificates in Environmental Biology. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 85% of graduates. College Factual ranks 12 schools in its 2027 Best Environmental 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.
A major in Environmental Biology explores Environmental Biology. A Program That Focuses On The Scientific Study Of The Origins, Functions, Relationships, Interactions, And Natural History Of Living Populations, Communities, Species, And Ecosystems In Relation To Dynamic Environmental Processes. Includes Instruction In Biodiversity, Molecular Genetic And Genomic Evolution, Mesoscale Ecology, Computational Biology And Modeling, Conservation Biology, Local And Global Environmental Change, And Restoration Ecology. Examples: [Environmental Microbiology].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., environmental biology is a popular field of study, with 490 degrees awarded annually. 51 colleges award environmental biology degrees, an average of 10 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 80.
By level, the 490 awards include 1 associate degrees, 417 bachelor’s degrees, 45 master’s degrees and 27 doctorates.
Women earned 62% of environmental biology degrees and certificates in the latest year (303 of 490). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (338) and Hispanic or Latino (57), and international students earned 20.
College Factual ranks 12 schools in its 2027 Best Environmental Biology Schools ranking, including 11 for bachelor’s degrees, 2 for master’s degrees and 1 for doctorates. It also ranks environmental biology schools within 8 states. In all, 51 colleges offer environmental biology programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Environmental Biology Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common environmental biology credential is the bachelor’s degree: 417 of the 490 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to environmental biology call most for Reading Comprehension, Active Listening and Speaking, and for knowledge of Biology, English Language and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Expression and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long an environmental biology degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 417 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 45 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 27 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to environmental biology, at 36.6%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 36.6% |
| Master’s degree | 21.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 19.6% |
| Doctoral degree | 16.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.4% |
| Some college courses | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
10 occupations are related to Environmental Biology, with an average median salary of $68,920; the strongest outlook belongs to Conservation Scientists, at 13.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Research Scientist, Scientist, Cell Biologist and Range Conservationist.
The occupation related to environmental 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% |
| Conservation Scientists | 208,826 | 13.4% |
| Geneticists | 183,832 | -1.1% |
| Range Managers | 175,572 | 1.3% |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | 164,357 | 8.7% |
| Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | 159,217 | -1.2% |
| Biologists | 118,631 | -3.6% |
| Park Naturalists | 46,677 | 9.4% |
Environmental 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 environmental 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 |
| Conservation Scientists | $81,436 |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $79,550 |
| Park Naturalists | $76,516 |
| Range Managers | $59,935 |
| Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $55,554 |
| Biologists | $54,070 |
Environmental Biology has 11 similar majors in the Biological & Biomedical Sciences field, which together award 9,207 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 |
| 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 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
