Ecology & Systematics Biology

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
Master’s Degree	2,134
Doctor’s Degree	763
Graduate Certificate	324

What Ecology & Systematics Biology Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, ecology majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Ecology Majors

Ecology majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• 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

ecology majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• 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 a ecology major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• 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 Master’s Degree in Ecology & Systematics Biology?

This major is dominated by women with about 72% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	256
Black or African American	143
Hispanic or Latino	192
White	1,038
International Students	359
Other Races/Ethnicities	146

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Ecology. About 16.8% 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?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The median early-career salary of ecology, evolution and systematics biology students with a master’s degree is $50,134 a year according to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $40,435 (25th percentile) and $58,103 (75th percentile).

One thing to note here is that not all of these people may be working in careers related to ecology.

Salaries According to BLS

Ecology majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $75,690 to $97,340 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

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.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Ecology & Systematics Biology

Some degrees associated with ecology may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. 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.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to ecology have obtained the following education levels.

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 the 2020-2021 academic year, 353 schools offered some type of ecology, evolution and systematics biology program. 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!

Majors Related to Ecology & Systematics Biology

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

Major	Number of Grads
General Biology	8,920
Physiology & Pathology Sciences	2,488
Biomathematics & Bioinformatics	2,290
Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology	1,964
Biological & Biomedical Sciences (Other)	1,922
Biotechnology	1,567
Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences	1,509
Microbiological Sciences & Immunology	1,244
Neurobiology & Neurosciences	1,241
Pharmacology & Toxicology	825
Genetics	717
Zoology	489
Botany/Plant Biology	371
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.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Ernst Haeckel under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.