Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 77 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology pays
Career outlook for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology graduates
The job market for the occupations Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | 289,600 | +17.3% | $105,620 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Medical scientists, except epidemiologists | 165,300 | +8.7% | $100,590 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Natural sciences managers | 104,300 | +3.7% | $161,180 | Bachelor's degree |
| Biological technicians | 82,700 | +3.5% | $52,000 | Bachelor's degree |
| Biological science teachers, postsecondary | 66,000 | +7.3% | $83,460 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Biological scientists, all other | 63,700 | +1.2% | $93,330 | Bachelor's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology vs similar majors
How Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology stacks up against the closest fields in Biological & Biomedical Sciences on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology Biological & Biomedical Sciences · this major | Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | Pharmacology and Toxicology | Biotechnology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 49 D | 86 A | 91 A | 87 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $63,944 | $122,658 | $92,541 | $89,459 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $43,839 | $82,737 | $51,581 | $63,581 |
| ROI vs cost | +126% | +824% | +493% | +437% |
| Typical debt | $32,405 | $33,122 | $22,369 | $29,545 |
| Colleges offering it | 77 | 11 | 5 | 23 |
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Master's | $147,362 | — | +2,584% | Strong return |
| 2 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | Certificate | $184,327 | — | +2,372% | Strong return |
| 3 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Certificate | $208,695 | $63,553 | +1,546% | Strong return |
| 4 | University of California-Davis Davis, CA | Master's | $90,734 | — | +1,451% | Strong return |
| 5 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Certificate | $181,545 | — | +1,090% | Strong return |
| 6 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | Associate's | $64,330 | $17,387 | +894% | Strong return |
| 7 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Associate's | $77,952 | — | +764% | Strong return |
| 8 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | Certificate | $83,253 | $57,517 | +420% | Strong return |
| 9 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | Certificate | $102,686 | $74,333 | +409% | Strong return |
| 10 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT | Associate's | $60,660 | $10,419 | +348% | Strong return |
| 11 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, CA | Associate's | $56,916 | $12,744 | +330% | Strong return |
| 12 | Emory University Atlanta, GA | Certificate | $93,094 | $66,000 | +320% | Strong return |
| 13 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | Professional | $93,156 | $87,000 | +308% | Strong return |
| 14 | George Washington University Washington, DC | Certificate | $107,806 | $67,389 | +268% | Strong return |
| 15 | Yale University New Haven, CT | Certificate | $88,262 | $66,000 | +263% | Strong return |
| 16 | Boston University Boston, MA | Certificate | $87,937 | $59,608 | +260% | Strong return |
| 17 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | Certificate | $67,025 | $34,436 | +253% | Strong return |
| 18 | Texas A&M University-College Station College Station, TX | Certificate | $77,000 | $28,000 | +235% | Strong return |
| 19 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | Associate's | $55,518 | $18,367 | +233% | Strong return |
| 20 | Connecticut College New London, CT | Associate's | $70,696 | $25,979 | +214% | Strong return |
| 21 | New York University New York, NY | Associate's | $70,386 | $20,500 | +211% | Strong return |
| 22 | University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD | Associate's | $55,322 | $19,500 | +168% | Strong return |
| 23 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA | Doctoral | $79,518 | $34,500 | +157% | Strong return |
| 24 | Tufts University Medford, MA | Certificate | $90,807 | $62,600 | +151% | Strong return |
| 25 | Bemidji State University Bemidji, MN | Associate's | $54,285 | $20,600 | +144% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.