by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Environmental Biology explores Environmental Biology. A Program That Focuses On The Scientific Study Of The Origins, Functions, Relationships, Interactions, And Natural History Of Living Populations, Communities, Species, And Ecosystems In Relation To Dynamic Environmental Processes. Includes Instruction In Biodiversity, Molecular Genetic And Genomic Evolution, Mesoscale Ecology, Computational Biology And Modeling, Conservation Biology, Local And Global Environmental Change, And Restoration Ecology. Examples: [Environmental Microbiology]. Read on to learn the important information every environmental biology student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering environmental biology programs.
In the U.S., environmental biology is a popular field of study, with 449 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Environmental Biology Schools ranking analyzes these 53 schools to determine the best overall colleges for environmental biology students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of environmental biology programs later in this article.
Studies in Environmental Biology develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations environmental biology graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a environmental biology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a environmental biology major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several environmental biology degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 2 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 368 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 52 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 27 |
People currently working in careers related to environmental biology tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 36.6% |
| Master’s degree | 21.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 19.6% |
| Doctoral degree | 16.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.4% |
| Some college courses | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in environmental biology careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying environmental biology opens doors to many career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to environmental biology.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to environmental biology.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 276,211 | 6.3% |
| Conservation Scientists | 208,826 | 13.4% |
| Geneticists | 183,832 | -1.1% |
| Range Managers | 175,572 | 1.3% |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | 164,357 | 8.7% |
| Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | 159,217 | -1.2% |
| Biologists | 118,631 | -3.6% |
| Park Naturalists | 46,677 | 9.4% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of environmental biology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $44,645 |
| 4 years | $55,280 |
| 5 years | $64,232 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for environmental biology graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers environmental biology grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | $100,077 |
| Bioinformatics Scientists | $92,484 |
| Conservation Scientists | $81,436 |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $79,550 |
| Park Naturalists | $76,516 |
| Range Managers | $59,935 |
| Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $55,554 |
| Biologists | $54,070 |
With 53 different environmental biology programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased environmental biology school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in environmental biology, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Epidemiology | 3,053 |
| Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography | 2,375 |
| Ecology | 1,201 |
| Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | 840 |
| Conservation Biology | 592 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics and Population Biology, Other | 311 |
| Evolutionary Biology | 176 |
| Epidemiology and Biostatistics | 151 |
| Aquatic Biology/Limnology | 119 |
| Systematic Biology/Biological Systematics | 18 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
