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Other Ecology & Systematics Biology

Types of Degrees Other Ecology & Systematics Biology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Other Ecology & Systematics Biology may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	237
Master’s Degree	14
Doctor’s Degree	60

What Other Ecology & Systematics Biology Majors Need to Know

Studies in Other Ecology & Systematics Biology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Other Ecology & Systematics Biology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Other Ecology & Systematics Biology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Other Ecology & Systematics Biology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Other Ecology & Systematics Biology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Other Ecology & Systematics Biology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7
Processing Information	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Other Ecology & Systematics Biology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Other Ecology & Systematics Biology graduates include:

• Clinical Project Manager
• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Faculty Member
• Lecturer
• College Professor
• Instructor
• Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Assistant Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Associate Professor
• Clinical Research Monitor
• Clinical Manager
• Clinical Trial Coordinator

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Other Ecology & Systematics Biology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	36.4%
Doctoral degree	17.5%
Post-doctoral training	17.4%
Master’s degree	16.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.4%
Postsecondary certificate	3.1%
Some college courses	2.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.3%
Post-master’s certificate	0.4%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Other Ecology & Systematics Biology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 62.4% of Other Ecology & Systematics Biology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	194	62.4%
Men	117	37.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Other Ecology & Systematics Biology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	190	61.1%
Asian	28	9.0%
Hispanic or Latino	48	15.4%
Black or African American	3	1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.6%
Two or More Races	25	8.0%
Race Unknown	7	2.3%
International Students	8	2.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Other Ecology & Systematics Biology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Other Ecology & Systematics Biology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$44,645
4 years	$55,280
5 years	$64,232

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $64,232 — roughly 44% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Other Ecology & Systematics Biology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Other Ecology & Systematics Biology graduates earn a median of $55,280 four years after completion — roughly 45% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	26.13
Aquatic Biology/Limnology	26.1304
Conservation Biology	26.1307
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology	26.1310
Ecology	26.1301
Environmental Biology	26.1305
Epidemiology and Biostatistics	26.1311
Epidemiology	26.1309
Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography	26.1302
Population Biology	26.1306
Systematic Biology/Biological Systematics	26.1308
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other	26.9999

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.