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Ecology & Systematics Biology Major

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Ecology & Systematics Biology

3,965 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
2,134 Master's Degrees Annually
#91 in Popularity
$89,150 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Ecology & Systematics Biology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many ecology, evolution and systematics biology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 3,965
Master’s Degree 2,134
Doctor’s Degree 763
Graduate Certificate 324
Associate Degree 47
Basic Certificate 8
Undergraduate Certificate 6

What Ecology & Systematics Biology Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to ecology were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Ecology Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

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  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Skills for Ecology Majors

When studying ecology, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

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  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Ecology Majors

As you progress with your ecology degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

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  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

What Can You Do With a Ecology & Systematics Biology Major?

People with a ecology degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Bioinformatics Scientists 8.0% $79,590
Biological Science Professors 15.1% $82,550
Clinical Research Coordinators 9.9% $123,860
Epidemiologists 8.2% $69,660
Health Specialties Professors 25.9% $97,370
Life Scientists 9.0% $78,190
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 13.4% $84,810
Molecular and Cellular Biologists 8.0% $79,590
Natural Sciences Managers 9.9% $123,860
Water Resource Specialists 9.9% $123,860
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists 7.7% $63,420

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Ecology & Systematics Biology?

3,965 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
65% Percent Women
27% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 3,965 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in ecology, evolution and systematics biology in 2021, making it rank #91 in popularity. This major is dominated by women with about 65% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of ecology majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 248
Black or African American 105
Hispanic or Latino 487
White 2,722
International Students 84
Other Races/Ethnicities 319

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Ecology, too. About 2.1% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • China
  • India
  • Canada
  • Nigeria
  • Taiwan

How Much Do Ecology & Systematics Biology Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

According to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in ecology have a median salary of $26,412 during the early years of their career. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $23,394 (25th percentile) and $30,258 (75th percentile).

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It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in ecology, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $75,690 to $97,340 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to ecology. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for an Ecology & Systematics Biology Major  ( 75690 to 97340 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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Some careers associated with ecology require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for ecology careers below.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 0.3%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 1.0%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) 1.0%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 1.5%
Bachelor’s Degree 28.9%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 1.8%
Master’s Degree 26.4%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. 1.4%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. 0.0%
Doctoral Degree 19.8%
Post-Doctoral Training 18.1%

Online Ecology & Systematics Biology Programs

In 2020-2021, 353 schools offered a ecology program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 5 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 8 0
Bachelor’s Degree 38 6
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 190 4
Post-Master’s 11 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 157 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Ecology & Systematics Biology Worth It?

The median salary for a ecology grad is $89,150 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 123% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $985,000 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to ecology.

Major Number of Grads
General Biology 107,165
Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology 14,535
Neurobiology & Neurosciences 11,615
Physiology & Pathology Sciences 8,813
Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences 6,206
Microbiological Sciences & Immunology 4,566
Biological & Biomedical Sciences (Other) 4,420
Biotechnology 3,911
Zoology 2,984
Biomathematics & Bioinformatics 2,957
Genetics 1,543
Pharmacology & Toxicology 1,042
Botany/Plant Biology 691
Molecular Medicine 83

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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