undergraduate
Ecology and evolutionary biology
Best schools with ecology and evolutionary biology
What is an ecology and evolutionary biology major?
Students of ecology and evolutionary biology study the relationships and interactions of small-scale biological systems, such as organisms, to each other, to complex and whole systems, and to the physical and other non-biological aspects of their environments. It includes instruction in biogeochemistry, landscape and/or marine/aquatic dynamics, decomposition, global and regional elemental budgets, biotic and abiotic regulation of nutrient cycles, ecophysiology, ecosystem resilience, disturbance, and succession, community and habitat dynamics, organismal interactions (co-evolution, competition, predation), paleoecology, and evolutionary ecology.
How much do ecology and evolutionary biology majors make?
median average salary
$59,000/yr
The national average salary for ecology and evolutionary biology graduates in the United States is $59,000 per year. Those in the top 10 percent make over $130,000 a year, while the bottom 10 percent make under $24,000 a year. While salary ranges can vary by role, industry, and location, ecology and evolutionary biology graduates typically make between $37,000 and $90,000 per year.
How popular is ecology and evolutionary biology as a major?
Each year, around 2,130 students obtain a bachelor’s degree and fewer than 5 students obtain an associate degree in ecology and evolutionary biology. In 2021, 2,207 students received a bachelor's degree and 8 students received an associate degree. This is 6% fewer ecology and evolutionary biology majors than there were in 2020. Ecology and evolutionary biology is a relatively popular major compared to other biology majors.
