by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Evolutionary Biology involves the study of Evolutionary Biology. A Program That Focuses On The Scientific Study Of The Genetic, Developmental, Functional, And Morphological Patterns And Processes, And Theoretical Principles; And The Emergence And Mutation Of Organisms Over Time. Includes Instruction In Molecular And Morphological Systematics; Genetics And Development; Evolutionary Transformation; Paleobiology And Paleontology; Morphogenesis; Mutation; Locomotor, Biomechanical And Craniodental Form And Function; Evolutionary Theory; And Systematic Biology. Continue reading for the important information every evolutionary biology major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering evolutionary biology programs.
In the U.S., evolutionary biology is a popular field of study, with 176 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Evolutionary Biology Schools ranking analyzes these 13 schools to determine the best overall colleges for evolutionary biology students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of evolutionary biology programs later in this article.
Programs in Evolutionary Biology develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations evolutionary biology graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a evolutionary biology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a evolutionary biology major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several evolutionary 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 118 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 29 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 28 |
People currently working in careers related to evolutionary biology tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 35.5% |
| Master’s degree | 19.9% |
| Post-doctoral training | 18.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 14.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.5% |
| Some college courses | 2.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.5% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in evolutionary biology careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying evolutionary biology prepares you for numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to evolutionary biology.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to evolutionary biology.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Research Coordinators | 542,888 | 10.4% |
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 276,211 | 6.3% |
| Geneticists | 183,832 | -1.1% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 179,495 | 8.7% |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | 164,357 | 8.7% |
| Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | 159,217 | -1.2% |
| Biologists | 118,631 | -3.6% |
| Water Resource Specialists | 78,994 | -0.4% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of evolutionary biology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb 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 evolutionary biology graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers evolutionary biology grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Water Resource Specialists | $179,716 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $132,227 |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | $110,931 |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | $100,077 |
| Bioinformatics Scientists | $92,484 |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $79,550 |
| Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $55,554 |
| Biologists | $54,070 |
With 13 different evolutionary biology programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased evolutionary biology school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in evolutionary 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 |
| Environmental Biology | 449 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics and Population Biology, Other | 311 |
| Epidemiology and Biostatistics | 151 |
| Aquatic Biology/Limnology | 119 |
| Systematic Biology/Biological Systematics | 18 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
