by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Population Biology explores Population Biology. A Program That Focuses On The Scientific Study Of The Natural History, Life Cycle Behavior, And Ecosystem Dynamics Of Single Species And Multi-Species Communities, And The Patterns And Causes Of Diversity Within And Among Such Populations. Includes Instruction In Biostatistics, Population Dynamics, Population And Quantitative Genetics, Rna And Dna Sequences, Genomics, Evolutionary Ecology, Natural Adaptation And Hybridization, Geographic Differentiation, Life History And Life Cycle Studies, And Animal And Plant Demography. Continue reading for the key facts every population biology student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering population biology programs.
Nationwide, population biology is a popular field of study, with 10 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Population Biology Schools ranking analyzes these 4 schools to determine the best overall colleges for population biology students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of population biology programs later in this article.
Coursework for Population Biology develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations population biology graduates commonly enter.
The skill set developed in a population biology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a population biology major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several population 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 5 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 4 |
People currently working in careers related to population biology tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Post-doctoral training | 34.1% |
| Doctoral degree | 27.3% |
| Master’s degree | 23.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 12.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.5% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in population biology careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in population biology can lead to many career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to population biology.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to population biology.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 276,211 | 6.3% |
| Geneticists | 183,832 | -1.1% |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | 164,357 | 8.7% |
| Biologists | 118,631 | -3.6% |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | 23,620 | 9.2% |
| Bioinformatics Scientists | 11,006 | 5.4% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of population 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 population biology graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers population biology grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | $100,077 |
| Bioinformatics Scientists | $92,484 |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $79,550 |
| Biologists | $54,070 |
| Geneticists | $48,526 |
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $41,048 |
With 4 different population biology programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased population biology school rankings to help you.
Students interested in population 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 |
| Evolutionary Biology | 176 |
| Epidemiology and Biostatistics | 151 |
| Aquatic Biology/Limnology | 119 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
