Best Schools for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology graduates earn a median of $50,492 within four years of graduating, ranking #263 out of 283 tracked majors — 19% below the median across all fields. There are 79 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 2,641 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: University of Maryland-College Park graduates earn $65,639 while University of Puerto Rico-Humacao graduates earn $31,382 — a $34,257 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap. Across all fields, though, which major you pick separates earnings more than which college does.

Early career salary growth is modest: Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology graduates see an average -3% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

79
Schools
$50,492
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#263
of 283 Majors
2,641
Graduates

Public vs Private: Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

Public (55 schools)
$50,280
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (24 schools)
$51,066
avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $786 more in early earnings on average for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology graduates. Factor in tuition difference to calculate which offers better ROI.

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology by State

Also by state: Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah

Top Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
University of Maryland-College Park logo

University of Maryland-College Park

College Park, MD · Public

$65,639
4yr Earnings
59 grads
2yr: $29,250 (63)
1yr: $36,711 (55)
Acceptance: 44.8%
#2
New York University logo

New York University

New York, NY · Private

$65,406
4yr Earnings
19 grads · small sample
2yr: $42,532 (25)
1yr: $27,491 (20)
Acceptance: 9.4%
#3
California State University-Chico logo

California State University-Chico

Chico, CA · Public

$64,274
4yr Earnings
23 grads · small sample
2yr: $28,598 (11)
1yr: $32,122 (23)
Acceptance: 93.7%
#4
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona logo

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Pomona, CA · Public

$63,525
4yr Earnings
26 grads · small sample
2yr: $32,569 (32)
1yr: $32,416 (49)
Acceptance: 73.7%
#5
Connecticut College logo

Connecticut College

New London, CT · Private

$62,925
4yr Earnings
20 grads · small sample
1yr: $30,342 (19)
Acceptance: 38.3%
#6
Princeton University logo

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ · Private

$62,344
4yr Earnings
17 grads · small sample
1yr: $38,447 (26)
Acceptance: 4.5%
#7
University of California-Davis logo

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA · Public

$62,011
4yr Earnings
24 grads · small sample
1yr: $24,504 (25)
Acceptance: 41.6%
#8
Brigham Young University logo

Brigham Young University

Provo, UT · Private

$61,078
4yr Earnings
36 grads
2yr: $23,649 (34)
1yr: $30,637 (48)
Acceptance: 69.2%
#9
California State University-Northridge logo

California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA · Public

$59,940
4yr Earnings
22 grads · small sample
2yr: $29,685 (11)
1yr: $18,635 (20)
Acceptance: 93.2%
#10
Boston University logo

Boston University

Boston, MA · Private

$57,967
4yr Earnings
17 grads · small sample
2yr: $28,598 (37)
1yr: $32,224 (32)
Acceptance: 10.8%
#11
California State University-Long Beach logo

California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA · Public

$55,588
4yr Earnings
20 grads · small sample
1yr: $34,271 (22)
Acceptance: 47.1%
#12
Michigan State University logo

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI · Public

$55,159
4yr Earnings
29 grads · small sample
2yr: $22,192 (19)
1yr: $26,376 (27)
Acceptance: 83.9%
#13
University of South Carolina-Columbia logo

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC · Public

$55,093
4yr Earnings
43 grads
2yr: $31,374 (48)
1yr: $25,267 (44)
Acceptance: 61.5%
#14
Colorado State University-Fort Collins logo

Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Fort Collins, CO · Public

$54,370
4yr Earnings
67 grads
2yr: $25,194 (23)
1yr: $30,566 (61)
Acceptance: 89.6%
#15
Stony Brook University logo

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, NY · Public

$53,747
4yr Earnings
52 grads
2yr: $20,444 (23)
1yr: $26,449 (47)
Acceptance: 49.0%
#16
California State University-Fullerton logo

California State University-Fullerton

Fullerton, CA · Public

$53,518
4yr Earnings
30 grads · small sample
1yr: $24,004 (31)
Acceptance: 86.7%
#17
University of Dayton logo

University of Dayton

Dayton, OH · Private

$53,448
4yr Earnings
19 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 61.7%
#18
University of Colorado Boulder logo

University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, CO · Public

$53,429
4yr Earnings
89 grads
2yr: $30,573 (116)
1yr: $30,230 (128)
Acceptance: 83.3%
#19
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus logo

Oklahoma State University-Main Campus

Stillwater, OK · Public

$53,126
4yr Earnings
57 grads
2yr: $26,353 (11)
1yr: $29,952 (54)
Acceptance: 70.9%
#20
University of Connecticut logo

University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT · Public

$52,766
4yr Earnings
33 grads
2yr: $20,140 (20)
1yr: $29,439 (26)
Acceptance: 53.9%
#21
University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus logo

University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus

Waterbury, CT · Public

$52,766
4yr Earnings
33 grads
2yr: $20,140 (20)
1yr: $29,439 (26)
Acceptance: 87.0%
#22
University of Connecticut-Avery Point logo

University of Connecticut-Avery Point

Groton, CT · Public

$52,766
4yr Earnings
33 grads
2yr: $20,140 (20)
1yr: $29,439 (26)
Acceptance: 86.5%
#23
University of Connecticut-Stamford logo

University of Connecticut-Stamford

Stamford, CT · Public

$52,766
4yr Earnings
33 grads
2yr: $20,140 (20)
1yr: $29,439 (26)
Acceptance: 80.2%
#24
University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus logo

University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus

Hartford, CT · Public

$52,766
4yr Earnings
33 grads
2yr: $20,140 (20)
1yr: $29,439 (26)
Acceptance: 86.5%
#25
University of California-San Diego logo

University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CA · Public

$52,701
4yr Earnings
87 grads
2yr: $26,224 (52)
1yr: $24,033 (89)
Acceptance: 24.5%
#26
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor logo

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI · Public

$52,390
4yr Earnings
36 grads
2yr: $18,429 (28)
1yr: $21,158 (46)
Acceptance: 17.9%
#27
University of Delaware logo

University of Delaware

Newark, DE · Public

$52,110
4yr Earnings
18 grads · small sample
1yr: $19,872 (24)
Acceptance: 65.1%
#28
Roger Williams University logo

Roger Williams University

Bristol, RI · Private

$51,857
4yr Earnings
29 grads · small sample
2yr: $26,585 (30)
1yr: $25,229 (36)
Acceptance: 87.8%
#29
University of California-Los Angeles logo

University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public

$51,559
4yr Earnings
18 grads · small sample
1yr: $24,879 (18)
Acceptance: 8.7%
#30
University of North Texas logo

University of North Texas

Denton, TX · Public

$51,368
4yr Earnings
20 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 72.5%
#31
University of California-Santa Barbara logo

University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA · Public

$50,694
4yr Earnings
47 grads
2yr: $21,312 (35)
1yr: $26,780 (49)
Acceptance: 27.8%
#32
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities logo

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN · Public

$50,106
4yr Earnings
25 grads · small sample
2yr: $28,816 (18)
1yr: $28,217 (31)
Acceptance: 77.0%
#33
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry logo

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Syracuse, NY · Public

$50,010
4yr Earnings
121 grads
2yr: $22,880 (78)
1yr: $22,722 (60)
Acceptance: 82.9%
#34
University of California-Santa Cruz logo

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA · Public

$49,821
4yr Earnings
131 grads
2yr: $24,351 (117)
1yr: $26,448 (128)
Acceptance: 62.5%
#35
Utah State University logo

Utah State University

Logan, UT · Public

$49,758
4yr Earnings
17 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 93.6%
#36
University of Wisconsin-Madison logo

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI · Public

$49,602
4yr Earnings
49 grads
2yr: $24,904 (35)
1yr: $23,512 (41)
Acceptance: 43.4%
#37
University of Georgia logo

University of Georgia

Athens, GA · Public

$49,436
4yr Earnings
22 grads · small sample
2yr: $20,824 (19)
1yr: $23,064 (27)
Acceptance: 37.2%
#38
Siena College logo

Siena College

Loudonville, NY · Private

$49,016
4yr Earnings
24 grads · small sample
2yr: $21,508 (14)
1yr: $26,977 (19)
Acceptance: 70.6%
#39
Eckerd College logo

Eckerd College

Saint Petersburg, FL · Private

$48,631
4yr Earnings
52 grads
2yr: $22,814 (59)
1yr: $22,542 (61)
Acceptance: 78.7%
#40
University of New England logo

University of New England

Biddeford, ME · Private

$48,592
4yr Earnings
25 grads · small sample
2yr: $25,774 (31)
1yr: $25,312 (48)
Acceptance: 88.8%
#41
University of Rhode Island logo

University of Rhode Island

Kingston, RI · Public

$48,446
4yr Earnings
43 grads
2yr: $24,421 (38)
1yr: $21,113 (41)
Acceptance: 77.1%
#42
Rutgers University-New Brunswick logo

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ · Public

$47,553
4yr Earnings
16 grads · small sample
1yr: $27,092 (16)
Acceptance: 65.3%
#43
University of Idaho logo

University of Idaho

Moscow, ID · Public

$47,372
4yr Earnings
17 grads · small sample
1yr: $26,034 (20)
Acceptance: 79.1%
#44
University of Hawaii at Manoa logo

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Honolulu, HI · Public

$46,500
4yr Earnings
35 grads
2yr: $29,322 (33)
1yr: $28,953 (20)
Acceptance: 69.7%
#45
Texas A&M University-College Station logo

Texas A&M University-College Station

College Station, TX · Public

$46,453
4yr Earnings
113 grads
2yr: $27,181 (116)
1yr: $24,794 (129)
Acceptance: 63.2%
#46
Bemidji State University logo

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, MN · Public

$45,822
4yr Earnings
20 grads · small sample
2yr: $30,409 (19)
Acceptance: 70.7%
#47
Coastal Carolina University logo

Coastal Carolina University

Conway, SC · Public

$45,323
4yr Earnings
171 grads
2yr: $23,694 (160)
1yr: $24,662 (184)
Acceptance: 80.2%
#48
Nova Southeastern University logo

Nova Southeastern University

Fort Lauderdale, FL · Private

$45,287
4yr Earnings
19 grads · small sample
1yr: $22,198 (17)
Acceptance: 72.7%
#49
University of New Haven logo

University of New Haven

West Haven, CT · Private

$45,115
4yr Earnings
34 grads
2yr: $22,420 (19)
1yr: $24,030 (33)
Acceptance: 80.5%
#50
Stockton University logo

Stockton University

Galloway, NJ · Public

$44,981
4yr Earnings
48 grads
2yr: $22,907 (53)
1yr: $22,278 (52)
Acceptance: 88.2%

Showing top 50 of 79 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology?
University of Maryland-College Park ranks #1 for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology with median graduate earnings of $65,639 within four years of graduating. There are 79 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology graduates earn?
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology graduates earn an average of $50,492 within four years of graduating. This is 19% below the median across all majors. Earnings range from $31,382 to $65,639 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology program?
The average acceptance rate across Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology programs is 66.0%. The most selective program is at Harvard University with a 3.5% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology?
Private Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology programs average $51,066 in early earnings vs $50,280 at public schools. Private schools lead in earnings, but cost significantly more — calculate net price before deciding.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders, from the field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release — Scorecard publishes the two separately.

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