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Ecosystem Studies Major

Ecosystem Studies

7,769 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
1,355 Master's Degrees Annually
#61 in Popularity

Types of Degrees Ecosystem Studies Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many environmental studies graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 7,988
Master’s Degree 1,614
Basic Certificate 412
Associate Degree 217
Graduate Certificate 104
Doctor’s Degree 93
Undergraduate Certificate 4

What Ecosystem Studies Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to ecosystem studies 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 Ecosystem Studies Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in ecosystem studies should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

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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.
  • Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Ecosystem Studies Majors

When studying ecosystem studies, 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.
  • 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.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Ecosystem Studies Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a ecosystem studies student include the following:

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  • 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 Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Ecosystem Studies Major?

People with a ecosystem studies degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Climate Change Analysts 11.1% $71,130
Environmental Restoration Planners 11.1% $71,130
Environmental Science Professors 10.1% $79,910
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health 11.1% $71,130
Industrial Ecologists 11.1% $71,130

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Ecosystem Studies?

7,988 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
65% Percent Women
27% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
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 ecosystem studies majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 437
Black or African American 191
Hispanic or Latino 1,023
White 5,335
International Students 240
Other Races/Ethnicities 762

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Ecosystem Studies, too. About 3.0% of those with this major are international students.

Some careers associated with ecosystem studies 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 ecosystem studies careers below.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 0.2%
Some College Courses 0.2%
Bachelor’s Degree 24.9%
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. 2.5%
Master’s Degree 39.6%
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. 0.7%
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. 1.8%
Doctoral Degree 20.1%
Post-Doctoral Training 10.4%

Online Ecosystem Studies Programs

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) 4 1
Certificate (2-4 Years) 1 0
Associate’s Degree 67 2
Bachelor’s Degree 40 8
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 100 8
Post-Master’s 3 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 20 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 1 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

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

Major Number of Grads
Environmental Science 9,932
Natural Resources/Conservation, General 3,048
Natural Resources Conservation & Research, Other 260

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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