Best institutions to study Ecology
Compare 317 U.S. colleges offering Ecology by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 52 states.
Ecology programs report a median of $28,856 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 26.13 and the Biological Technicians occupation (BLS SOC).
About Ecology programs
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 the intricate relationships between organisms and their environments, including the impact of human activities on ecological systems. It encompasses various specializations, such as Marine Biology, Conservation Biology, and Environmental Biology, making it suitable for those passionate about environmental stewardship and biodiversity.
Students in the Ecology program will acquire essential skills in research methodologies, data analysis, and technical support within scientific fields. Core knowledge areas include biology, chemistry, mathematics, and the use of technology in ecological studies, preparing graduates for diverse roles in environmental science and research.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $53,038 | 38 | 98% | $13,729 | — |
| 2 | New York University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,024 | 60 | 88% | $29,023 | $25,000 |
| 3 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,491 | 22 | 84% | — | $27,000 |
| 4 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,184 | 190 | 74% | — | $23,331 |
| 5 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,375 | 78 | 89% | — | $19,635 |
| 6 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania East Stroudsburg, PA Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,762 | 20 | 43% | — | $18,783 |
| 7 | Bemidji State University Bemidji, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,521 | 17 | 48% | — | $28,626 |
| 8 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,436 | 67 | 69% | — | $19,948 |
| 9 | Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,322 | 106 | 67% | — | $19,500 |
| 10 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,682 | 89 | 85% | — | $24,000 |
| 11 | Western Washington University Bellingham, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,323 | 11 | 65% | — | $23,040 |
| 12 | University of Delaware Newark, DE Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,296 | 65 | 81% | — | $20,500 |
| 13 | University of Connecticut Storrs, CT Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,882 | 70 | 83% | — | $26,798 |
| 14 | University of California - Davis Davis, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,161 | 103 | 86% | — | $19,951 |
| 15 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $31,999 | 229 | 98% | $15,013 | — |
| 16 | Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,923 | 85 | 68% | — | $25,000 |
| 17 | University of Idaho Moscow, ID Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,656 | 18 | 57% | — | $19,375 |
| 18 | Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $31,114 | 55 | 63% | $31,672 | $23,549 |
| 19 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,088 | 216 | 86% | — | $18,834 |
| 20 | University of New England Biddeford, ME Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $29,871 | 46 | 68% | $34,673 | $27,000 |
| 21 | Iowa State University Ames, IA Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,842 | 84 | 75% | — | $24,347 |
| 22 | University of New Haven West Haven, CT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $29,767 | 26 | 63% | $32,614 | $27,000 |
| 23 | The University of Tampa Tampa, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $29,603 | 60 | 64% | $33,070 | $26,705 |
| 24 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,318 | 56 | 81% | — | $26,500 |
| 25 | Stockton University Galloway, NJ Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,289 | 38 | 69% | — | $27,000 |
| 26 | University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,258 | 101 | 83% | — | $12,500 |
| 27 | Roger Williams University Bristol, RI Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $29,074 | 42 | 69% | $34,648 | $27,000 |
| 28 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,856 | 55 | 90% | — | $19,500 |
| 29 | University of North Texas Denton, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,681 | 54 | 61% | — | $18,000 |
| 30 | Stetson University DeLand, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $28,195 | 8 | 62% | $21,948 | — |
| 31 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,770 | 271 | 84% | — | $23,461 |
| 32 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,100 | 206 | 85% | — | $16,672 |
| 33 | Coastal Carolina University Conway, SC Public · Bachelor's degree | $26,838 | 148 | 48% | — | $26,000 |
| 34 | Florida Southern College Lakeland, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $26,616 | 39 | 71% | $28,325 | $23,250 |
| 35 | University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI Public · Bachelor's degree | $26,176 | 46 | 73% | — | $20,635 |
| 36 | University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,820 | 98 | 64% | — | $25,458 |
| 37 | University of California - Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,810 | 174 | 75% | — | $18,887 |
| 38 | University of Georgia Athens, GA Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,724 | 96 | 90% | — | $15,977 |
| 39 | Hawaii Pacific University Honolulu, HI Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $25,499 | 39 | 35% | $30,299 | $25,000 |
| 40 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,303 | 103 | 71% | — | $20,389 |
| 41 | University of West Florida Pensacola, FL Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,299 | 31 | 59% | — | $20,731 |
| 42 | University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,271 | 73 | 79% | — | $18,896 |
| 43 | Monmouth University West Long Branch, NJ Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $25,004 | 16 | 72% | $28,514 | $27,000 |
| 44 | Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $24,862 | 14 | 40% | — | $26,500 |
| 45 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $24,143 | 142 | 81% | $13,712 | $10,459 |
| 46 | Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $23,846 | 7 | 58% | — | $31,455 |
| 47 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh Plattsburgh, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $23,682 | 13 | 59% | — | — |
| 48 | University of Dayton Dayton, OH Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $23,609 | 20 | 80% | $28,560 | $23,000 |
| 49 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $23,504 | 233 | 84% | $26,589 | $16,500 |
| 50 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $22,844 | 167 | 93% | — | $15,242 |
Offered across 52 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-4021, Biological Technicians, and its national outlook.
The job outlook for graduates in Ecology is about as fast as average, with an expected growth rate of 3.5% and approximately 9,100 annual openings. Most positions require a Bachelor's degree, and the median wage for ecology-related careers is around $52,000, reflecting the demand for skilled professionals in this field.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Ecology
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 26.13.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 26.13 (Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology) maps to 13 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11-9121 | Natural Sciences Managers |
| 15-2041 | Statisticians |
| 19-1023 | Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists |
| 19-1029 | Biological Scientists, All Other |
| 19-1031 | Conservation Scientists |
| 19-1041 | Epidemiologists |
| 19-1042 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists |
| 19-1099 | Life Scientists, All Other |
| 19-4021 | Biological Techniciansprimary |
| 25-1042 | Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 25-1043 | Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 25-1053 | Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 25-1071 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Ecology programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Conduct research, or assist in the conduct of research, including the collection of information and samples, such as blood, water, soil, plants and animals.
- Use computers, computer-interfaced equipment, robotics or high-technology industrial applications to perform work duties.
- Monitor and observe experiments, recording production and test data for evaluation by research personnel.
- Analyze experimental data and interpret results to write reports and summaries of findings.
- Provide technical support and services for scientists and engineers working in fields such as agriculture, environmental science, resource management, biology, and health sciences.
- Keep detailed logs of all work-related activities.
Concentrations within Ecology
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- EcologyCIP 26.1301
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the relationships and interactions of small-scale biological systems, such as organisms, to each other, to complex and whole systems, and to the physi
- Marine Biology and Biological OceanographyCIP 26.1302
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the ecology and behavior of microbes, plants, and animals inhabiting oceans, coastal waters, and saltwater wetlands and their interactions with the ph
- Evolutionary BiologyCIP 26.1303
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the genetic, developmental, functional, and morphological patterns and processes, and theoretical principles; and the emergence and mutation of organi
- Aquatic Biology/LimnologyCIP 26.1304
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the ecology and behavior of microbes, plants, and animals inhabiting inland fresh waters such as lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, estuaries, and wetlands
- Environmental BiologyCIP 26.1305
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 dy
- Population BiologyCIP 26.1306
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 diver
- Conservation BiologyCIP 26.1307
A program that focuses on the application of the biological sciences to the specific problems of biodiversity, species preservation, ecological sustainability, and habitat fragmentation in the face of
- Systematic Biology/Biological SystematicsCIP 26.1308
A program that focuses on the theoretical and empirical study of the principles and processes underlying the origin and maintenance of biological taxonomic diversity; related biogeographical and evolu
- EpidemiologyCIP 26.1309
A program that focuses on the scientific study of disease, disability, and trauma patterns within and across populations and the development of health management mechanisms to prevent and control dise
- Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyCIP 26.1310
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the relationships and interactions across levels of biological organization--genes and genomes, organisms, species, and ecosystems--and how these chan
- Epidemiology and BiostatisticsCIP 26.1311
A program with a general synthesis of epidemiology and biostatistics or a specialization which draws from epidemiology and biostatistics
- Ecology, Evolution, Systematics and Population Biology, OtherCIP 26.1399
Any instructional program in ecology, evolution, and systematics not listed above.
Common questions
What can I do with a degree in Ecology?+
Graduates can pursue careers in research, environmental consulting, conservation, and education.
What specializations are available in the Ecology program?+
Specializations include Marine Biology, Population Biology, Conservation Biology, and more.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, data analysis, research techniques, and effective communication.
Is a Bachelor's degree sufficient for a career in Ecology?+
Yes, a Bachelor's degree is typically the minimum requirement for entry-level positions in this field.
How much do Ecology graduates earn?+
Ecology graduates report median earnings of $28,856 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the Biological Technicians occupation pays about $61,380 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Ecology?+
Ecology maps to CIP 26.13 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
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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