### SUMMARY

 Studying Ecology is not only a valuable choice, but ordinarily an obligatory first step for undergrads choosing to pursue a career as an environmental ecologist, an ecologist, or a biological ecologist. In fact, nationally, ecology is an uncommon major coming in at the 232nd most popular area of study. Last year, there were 835 ecology graduates. In-state tuition for ecology at private colleges is, on average, 4.2 times more costly than their public counterparts.

 With just 65 universities offering this degree you may have a more finite list of the institutions which will have a degree program for you. If you are hoping to immerse yourself with other ecology majors, look at universities in New York which have more students admitted to ecology than any other state. less precisely, the best region to study ecology is in the Mid East region with [University of Maryland-College Park](/colleges/university-of-maryland-college-park), [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university), and [Siena College](/colleges/siena-college) best representing the region. Interestingly, our pick for the top conference to study ecology is the Big Twelve Conference with [Iowa State University](/colleges/iowa-state-university) representing the conference. That said, our belief is that the best school for ecology is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university), and here you can find our comprehensive list for the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The objectively 'best' school is not necessarily the 'best' school for you. There can be tons more facets to weigh when deciding on institution. Features such as campus amenities, transportation services, and food would definitely refashion your feelings on where to go to college. At Authority, we have weighed the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you want to know which ecology university is home to the top campus, the answer is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university). If you are primarily interested in which college boasts the finest campus, we have a whole list [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through professor reviews, government databases, student reviews, and more to compare every U.S. major in an unbiased and informative way. Here you can find our comprehensive list for the schools with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbspand, from that list, our selection of the college with the best student life for ecology is [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles). Are you curious why? Keep scrolling to learn more about our top choices. Many of our conclusions will probably shock you.

 If price is a major deciding factor in your decision on where to go to school, you might be cautious about [Connecticut College](/colleges/connecticut-college). [Connecticut College](/colleges/connecticut-college)&nbspappears to be the most expensive school for ecology, at least for out of state students. We have an entire page for the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspschools that might put the expense at [Connecticut College](/colleges/connecticut-college)&nbspinto perspective. For more context, you could be interested to know that ecology is the 238th most expensive major in the US, with an average bill of $28,100. On a broader scale, the most costly state for ecology in the nation is Pennsylvania demonstrated with a tuition of $48,560 at the main university in the state Susquehanna University. To zoom out even further, the most costly region of the U.S. for ecology is the New England region which is best demonstrated with [Connecticut College](/colleges/connecticut-college) with a cost of $56,540, and [University of Connecticut](/colleges/university-of-connecticut) with a cost of $36,466.

 Our cheapest region for ecology is the Southwest region which is represented by [Oklahoma State University-Main Campus](/colleges/oklahoma-state-university-main-campus) with a cost of $20,877 and [University of North Texas](/colleges/university-of-north-texas) with a cost of $18,423. On the bright side, the most affordable university for ecology is [Northern State University](/colleges/northern-state-university). Authority's entire list of the most affordable universities can be explored [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state attendees can expect to pay about $10,500 for a degree in ecology. The cost grows by a lot to a median of $26,800 for an out-of-state public-school undergrad. Our selection for the college constituting the best value for ecology: [Connecticut College](/colleges/connecticut-college). Here you will find our comprehensive list on the universities we see as being the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspin general. Bear in mind, this list is predicated on out-of-state tuition costs. The value proposition changes when in-state tuition is considered, but we do not know in which states any one student has residency.

 Earnings for ecology students differ a lot, but two-years after graduation graduates will typically make around $43,900. While there can be much variation in pay; highest paid earners can make up to $80,200. Right out of university, the minimum earning jobs within the ecology field make $24,100, which isn't that bad. The highest earning graduates from ecology studied at [University of Maryland-College Park](/colleges/university-of-maryland-college-park)&nbspand if you are looking for colleges with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), Authority has that too.

 The general diversity of ecology ranks subpar, coming within the 29th percentile of all majors. The university with the highest composite diversity for ecology is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university)&nbspand here you can find our comprehensive list for the universities which have the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The financial diversity of Ecology stands only within the 73rd percentile of all majors. Racial diversity is even lower in the 26th percentile. White students make up the largest share at 72% of students studying ecology. Additionally, 59% of undergrads seeking an ecology major are women.

 The median score for ecology professors is 4.3 stars, a score that is 8% better than the median across all majors; this is a fairly good score. If you are interested in the most popular ecology instructor in the country, consider looking up Dinny Aletheiani from [Yale University](/colleges/yale-university). This may be a shock, but the best rated professors of ecology by student come from [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university). As we consider data other than just rankings it becomes clear that the college possessing the best professors for ecology is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university). One will find more detail on our ever evolving ranking methodology for the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), as well as many of the top instructors in the country.

 Finally, the most difficult university to get into for ecology is [College of the Ozarks](/colleges/college-of-the-ozarks). While we do not necessarily see the value in it, we do have a general list for the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). Although, we hope you believe that approaching university from context only derived from superlatives could be said to be the root of many of higher education's fundamental issues. We at Authority hope you read our other pages on different colleges and peruse a couple of our helpful background articles on essential details to look out for as your college search continues.



 ### POPULARITY

 Ecology is the 232nd most popular degree in America, with 835 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #233 [Systems Engineering](/rankings/best-colleges-for-systems-engineering), and narrowly lost to #231 [Recreational Therapy](/rankings/best-colleges-for-recreational-therapy).

 The degree is offered at a total of 65 colleges across the nation, and is the 230th most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 7% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that close to 66.7% of colleges offering ecology are public making it a quite accessible field.

 The mid east produces the most ecology graduates, largely led by [University of Maryland-College Park](/colleges/university-of-maryland-college-park), while it’s the Big Twelve Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, New York ranks highest, with particular help from [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university) and [Siena College](/colleges/siena-college).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more ecology graduates than [University of California-Davis](/colleges/university-of-california-davis), which graduated 96 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study ecology). More students studied ecology as a percentage of total students at [Connecticut College](/colleges/connecticut-college) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Ecology is the 238th most expensive degree in the United States, with a median cost of $28,147 amongst the top 50 programs (just ahead of #239, [Plant Sciences](rankings/best-colleges-for-plant-sciences), with a median cost of $28,079).

 New England has the most expensive schools with top 50 ecology programs predominantly led by [Connecticut College](/colleges/connecticut-college) with an annual cost of $56,540. Pennsylvania is the most expensive state for ecology led by [Susquehanna University](/colleges/susquehanna-university).

 Public schools with good programs by and large charge 75.95% less than private schools for in-state students. When looking at out-of-state tuition however, the median top 50 Public school charges 38.83% less than your average private school. So make sure to take a look at public shools in your state ASAP.

 The most expensive option in the top 25 is [Connecticut College](/colleges/connecticut-college), which is the 24th most expensive college in the US. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Northern State University](/colleges/northern-state-university). It costs just $10,611 per year and is its ecology program is ranked #23. Another more affordable option would be #25, [Saint Cloud State University](/colleges/saint-cloud-state-university) in Stearns County, MN with a cost of $7,394 for in-state students and $15,686 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Enrolling in college is an important investment for most undergraduates. It's important to lack doubt you increase your earning power. We hope the following job placement and earnings facts help you in deciding your focus at college.

 Right out of school, Ecology majors make $36,741 per year on average (close to national median 54th percentile). After some time in their careers, they typically earn anywhere between $24,064 and $80,175, but average more or less $43,879. To put it in context, that is 14% higher than the U.S. average.

 The most popular job title for an Ecology graduate is Certified Nursing Assistant, which often make close to $22,000; next are Service Technician and Clinical Laboratory Scientist, which typically earn approximately $26,000 and $49,000 respectively.

 The highest grossing region for Ecology graduates is The Mid East. MA has the highest grossing Ecology alumni of any state. Ivy League has the highest grossing Ecology graduates of any conference..



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Ecology: Median Professor Rating: 4.3 / 5, which is Top 100.

 Professors constantly play a crucial role in your college experience, regardless of your major. An amazing teacher can provide inspiration and even make a difficult subject seem easy. On the other hand, an unpleasant professor can drive unwanted stress or even worse... flunk you!

 Professors of Ecology boast a median student rating of 4.3 / 5, putting these professors in 73rd place in the nation grounded in overall professor quality. For context a 4.3 rating is 7.5% north of the national median professor rating for all subjects. Ecology professors just out-ranked those from ["Music Performance"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-music-performance), whereas ["Theological and Ministerial Studies"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-theological-and-ministerial-studies)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Ecology.

 Now for some statistics about Ecology professors. Colleges located in remote towns tend to have the best Ecology professors. The Big East Conference has the highest rated Ecology professors. The Southeast region has the highest rated Ecology professors. Private schools tend to have higher rated Ecology professors than public colleges. Finally, District of Columbia has the highest rated Ecology professors in America.

 Dinny Aletheiani, professor at [Yale University](/colleges/yale-university)&nbspin New Haven, CT is the most popular Ecology professor in America. Peter Kwon, instructor at [SUNY at Albany](/colleges/suny-at-albany)&nbspin Albany, NY is the highest rated Ecology professor in the United States, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 Want to know which institutions have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College often can be a fabulously formative time in one's life; it's an occasion for personal growth and evolution. Students start to realize what they would like to do and learn many of the needed skills to be a halcyon member of society. But learning goes far beyond a classroom environment - the campus dialogue, the funny story gained from a tenured professor, the exposure to a different vantage point. Therefore, attending a diverse college vastly improves what you gain from your time spent in university.

 Ecology is a less ethnically diverse major than average\*. 72% of the nation's Ecology majors are white students, followed by latino students (11%), students of other races\*\*(11%), and asian students (5%). The most racially diverse college\* in the top 100 is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university)&nbspin New York, NY.

 Secondly, Ecology significatly skews female, with in the region of 3/5 of students majoring in Ecology identifying as women. [The University of Montana-Western](/colleges/the-university-of-montana-western) in Dillon, MT has the most gender balanced student body in the top 100.

 Another important type of diversity is class diversity. Ecology is more economically diverse than 73% of focuses. 28% of its students come from households that make over $110,000 per year, 16% are from families who make between $48,000 and $75,000 a year, and 25% grew up in low income families. [Northern State University](/colleges/northern-state-university) has the most fiscally diverse student body in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall CA is the most diverse state for Ecology. The Far West is the most diverse region, and the University Athletic Association is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 5%
* Black: 1%
* Latino: 11%
* White: 72%
* Other: 11%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 41%
* Female: 59%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 25%
* 30k - 48k: 15%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 16%
* Over 110k: 28%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 70%
* Out of State: 23%
* International: 7%


2023 Ecology Professors

There are about 2,173 students enrolled in Ecology in the USA.

PROFESSORS