by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, evolutionary biology was the 890th most popular major nationwide with 142 degrees awarded. This represents a 16.9% reduction in evolutionary biology degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 166.
This year's Best Evolutionary Biology Schools ranking compares 10 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom evolutionary biology rankings further below.
One of the most important skills you will need for a career in evolutionary biology is understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. Required skills include communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience and talking to others to convey information effectively.
evolutionary biology degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. Specific evolutionary biology careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
There are various different levels of evolutionary biology degrees. Evolutionary Biology programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest evolutionary biology degree you can get. The type of evolutionary biology degree you choose will determine how long it takes to get your diploma.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to evolutionary biology, with approximately 32.1% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for evolutionary biology workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 30.8% |
| Doctoral Degree | 24.8% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 21.2% |
| Master’s Degree | 13.3% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 3.0% |
58.4% of evolutionary biology workers have at least a master's. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in evolutionary biology have received.
The education level required is different depending on the evolutionary biology career you are seeking.
Want a job when you graduate with your evolutionary biology degree? Evolutionary Biology careers are expected to grow 11.5% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to evolutionary biology.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Science Professors | 71,700 | 15.1% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 62,300 | 9.9% |
| Biological Scientists | 41,800 | 8.0% |
As you might expect, salaries for evolutionary biology graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for evolutionary biology graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers evolutionary biology grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Natural Sciences Managers | $139,680 |
| Biological Science Professors | $97,340 |
| Biological Scientists | $83,600 |
With over 30 different evolutionary biology degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased evolutionary biology school rankings to help you with this.
One of 11 majors within the Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology area of study, Evolutionary Biology has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Epidemiology | 2,305 |
| Marine Biology | 1,835 |
| Ecology | 1,060 |
| Evolutionary Biology | 697 |
| Environmental Biology | 466 |
Image Credit: By Ernst Haeckel under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
