Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology Degrees (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology maps to BLS occupations averaging about $126,706, with roughly 42,120 workers nationwide in those roles. About 4,535 degrees completed in recent IPEDS counts; median program completion runs near 58%.
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology: what the data shows
Common questions about ecology, evolution, systematics, and population biology degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a ecology, evolution, systematics, and population biology degree?
A Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology program is classified under NCES CIP 26.1300 in the Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology field family (00.26).
IPEDS counted 4,535 completions for this CIP in the survey year in our extract.
Types of ecology, evolution, systematics, and population biology degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 00.26 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (CIP 00.2602)
- Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology (CIP 00.2611)
- Biotechnology (CIP 00.2612)
- Botany/Plant Biology (CIP 00.2603)
- Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences (CIP 00.2604)
- Genetics (CIP 00.2608)
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology (CIP 00.2605)
- Molecular Medicine (CIP 00.2614)
- Neurobiology and Neurosciences (CIP 00.2615)
- Pharmacology and Toxicology (CIP 00.2610)
- Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences (CIP 00.2609)
- Zoology/Animal Biology (CIP 00.2607)
How long does it take to get a ecology, evolution, systematics, and population biology degree?
Award levels reported to IPEDS for CIP 26.1300 in our file:
- 1 Bachelor's (4.2% of IPEDS total)—typically four years
- 23 Master's (95.8% of IPEDS total)—one to two years beyond a bachelor's
Time to completion depends on enrollment intensity and transfer credits; figures above describe credential type, not calendar time for every student.
What do you learn in ecology, evolution, systematics, and population biology?
O*NET skill ratings for occupations mapped to this major emphasize Active Learning, Speaking, Science, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, and related competencies. See the Skills section for the full list in our extract.
What jobs can you get with a ecology, evolution, systematics, and population biology degree?
Our degree→occupation mapping links Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology to the BLS roles below. Employment is U.S. OEWS; median wage is national May 2024 where published in our extract.
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Scientists, All Other | 59,710 | $93,330 |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | 16,600 | $71,410 |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | — | — |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 74,250 | $79,940 |
| Veterinarians | 80,630 | $125,510 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | 84,930 | $80,060 |
See Careers & Jobs for mean wages and industry context.
Is a ecology, evolution, systematics, and population biology degree worth it?
College Scorecard national medians for the Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology bachelor's program family: median debt $41,383, median earnings $48,842 four years after enrollment. Debt-to-earnings proxy: 1.41.
About 3.9% of graduates in this field family were not working and not enrolled one year after completion in Scorecard's national program medians.
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $10,449 and median net price is $18,661.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$10,449 Median In-State Public
$41,865 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology majors are, on average, $10,449 for in-state public colleges, and $41,865 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
4,535 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
| 2 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
| 3 | University of Central Florida | FL | 59,095 |
| 4 | Liberty University | VA | 50,059 |
| 5 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | 44,617 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Barbara City College | CA | $1,234 |
| 2 | College of Marin | CA | $1,558 |
| 3 | College of the Albemarle | NC | $2,249 |
| 4 | Eastern Arizona College | AZ | $2,352 |
| 5 | Brunswick Community College | NC | $2,532 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis and Clark Community College | IL | $4,281 |
| 2 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus | OH | $4,503 |
| 3 | College of the Albemarle | NC | $4,751 |
| 4 | Ohio University-Southern Campus | OH | $5,328 |
| 5 | California State University-Fullerton | CA | $5,646 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology programs.
Graduation Rates
58.32% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
58.65% Average Graduation Rate
133 Institutions Reporting
48.25% - 69.94% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology programs across institutions.
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 00.26 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology CIP 00.2602
- Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology CIP 00.2611
- Biotechnology CIP 00.2612
- Botany/Plant Biology CIP 00.2603
- Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences CIP 00.2604
- Genetics CIP 00.2608
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology CIP 00.2605
- Molecular Medicine CIP 00.2614
- Neurobiology and Neurosciences CIP 00.2615
- Pharmacology and Toxicology CIP 00.2610
- Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences CIP 00.2609
- Zoology/Animal Biology CIP 00.2607
Degree Levels (IPEDS)
Completions reported to IPEDS for CIP 26.1300 in the survey year used in our extract (24 total across levels below).
- 1 Bachelor's (4.2% of IPEDS total)
- 23 Master's (95.8% of IPEDS total)
Source: IPEDS Completions (c2024_a), summed by award level for this CIP.
Careers & Jobs
Occupations linked to this major in our degree→career mapping, with wages and employment from processed BLS career profiles in this repo.
Across these BLS occupations, employment-weighted mean pay is about $126,706. Figures are national OEWS estimates for the occupation—not earnings of Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology graduates alone.
Related occupations (BLS OEWS)
| Occupation | Mean annual wage | U.S. employment |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $124,288 | 59,710 |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | $94,151 | 16,600 |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | — | — |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $104,536 | 74,250 |
| Veterinarians | $172,853 | 80,630 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $110,339 | 84,930 |
Open each occupation for full career profile charts and industry breakdowns on EDsmart Data.
Program outcomes (College Scorecard)
National medians across bachelor's programs in the Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology CIP family (12 programs reporting debt). Not specific to every Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology graduate.
- $41,383 median federal loan debt among completers
- $48,842 median earnings four years after enrollment (national program median)
- 1.41 debt-to-earnings ratio (Scorecard proxy)
- 3.9% of graduates not working and not enrolled one year out (program cohort)
Source: College Scorecard program-level outcomes aggregated by 4-digit CIP family.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$125,635 Average wage, mapped occupations (OEWS)
Occupations mapped to Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology average $125,635 a year in the BLS OEWS extract.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology majors.
Occupations by Share
42,120 2023 Workforce
The number of Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology.
Age distribution for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Gender distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Gender distribution of Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Race and ethnicity distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Racial and ethnic distribution of Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology majors.
About
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
In 2023, 4,535 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology.
CIP Code
26.1300 - Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
What the data shows
At the program-family level, College Scorecard reports median debt of $41,383 for bachelor's completers and median earnings near $48,842, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.41. Those figures describe national program cohorts in this CIP family—not every individual Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology graduate.
Mapped BLS occupations show employment-weighted mean pay of about $126,706. The largest mapped role by headcount is Biological Scientists, All Other (59,710 U.S. jobs in OEWS).
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $10,449 in-state at public colleges and $41,865 at private institutions for programs in this field.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.