Best colleges for Ecology in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
California State University - Long Beach, University of California-Davis and University of California-San Diego are the top bachelor's Ecology programs in California by graduate earnings. California State University - Long Beach leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $35,436, College Scorecard. University of California-San Diego, University of California-Santa Cruz and University of California-Davis award the most Ecology degrees in California: 216, 174 and 103 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 23 California colleges offer Ecology and award 1,044 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Ecology program, formally known as Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology, is a comprehensive study within the Biological and Biomedical Sciences field. This program is designed for students interested in understanding…
Top 6 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,436 | 67 | 69% | — | $19,948 |
| 2 | University of California-Davis Davis Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,161 | 103 | 86% | — | $19,951 |
| 3 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,088 | 216 | 86% | — | $18,834 |
| 4 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,258 | 101 | 83% | — | $12,500 |
| 5 | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,810 | 174 | 75% | — | $18,887 |
| 6 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public · Bachelor's degree | $18,728 | 81 | 93% | — | $17,417 |
Colleges awarding the most Ecology degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla Public | 216 | $31,088 |
| 2 | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Public | 174 | $25,810 |
| 3 | University of California-Davis Davis Public | 103 | $32,161 |
| 4 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public | 101 | $29,258 |
| 5 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 81 | $18,728 |
| 6 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 67 | $35,436 |
| 7 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public | 64 | Not reported |
| 8 | Stanford University Stanford Private not-for-profit | 46 | Not reported |
| 9 | California Baptist University Riverside Private not-for-profit | 45 | Not reported |
| 10 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public | 43 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 13 California colleges offering Ecology
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| California State Polytechnic University - Pomona | Pomona | Public | 19 |
| University of California-Riverside | Riverside | Public | 11 |
| University of California-San Francisco (Graduate only) | San Francisco | Public | 10 |
| San Diego State University | San Diego | Public | 10 |
| Loma Linda University | Loma Linda | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Norco College | Norco | Public | 9 |
| San Jose State University | San Jose | Public | 8 |
| Claremont Graduate University (Graduate only) | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| California State Polytechnic University - Humboldt | Arcata | Public | 2 |
| Pitzer College | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| College of Marin | Kentfield | Public | 1 |
| Mount Saint Mary's University | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Biological Technicians (SOC 19-4021).
Top skills
What Biological Technicians earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Ecology programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Ecology degrees?+
University of California-San Diego (216 graduates a year), University of California-Santa Cruz (174 graduates a year) and University of California-Davis (103 graduates a year) award the most Ecology degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 23 California colleges offer Ecology.
What is the best college for Ecology in California?+
By graduate earnings, California State University - Long Beach leads among bachelor's Ecology programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $35,436, College Scorecard. University of California-Davis and University of California-San Diego follow. By degrees awarded, University of California-San Diego is the largest, with 216 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Ecology program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, California State University - Long Beach tops the list at $35,436. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Biological Technicians earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Biological Technicians in California is $78,170 (median $71,440), across about 9,210 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Ecology program?+
The Ecology program, formally known as Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology, is a comprehensive study within the Biological and Biomedical Sciences field. This program is designed for students interested in understanding…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, critical thinking, science, active listening, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Biological Technicians?+
The national job outlook is about +3.5% growth with around 9,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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