Home Schools Brigham Young University Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Biological Sciences · Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Rank #7 of 64

Ecology & Evolutionary Biologyat Brigham Young University

Graduates earn $24,143/yr in their first year — about 19.0% below the national Ecology & Evolutionary Biology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $663K; scenarios range from $589K to $676K depending on AI disruption.

Provo, UT Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
40 AVERAGE
41
Optimistic
41
Pessimistic
Earnings
$24,143
1-year post-graduation
ROI
22.3x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$663K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
51% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Brigham Young University

BYU's nationally recognized program in Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology benefits immensely from its location, offering unparalleled access to diverse ecosystems across Utah for field research. While initial earnings may reflect a common trend in fields with strong government agency or non-profit sector employment, this program's rigorous academic foundation often propels graduates into advanced degrees. Many pursue master's or PhDs, essential steps for unlocking the higher-earning management, teaching, or statistical roles detailed. The high AI risk underscores the increasing importance of quantitative skills in scientific careers; prioritize coursework in data analysis, modeling, and GIS. To maximize your earning potential and career resilience, strategically build a skillset that complements your ecological knowledge with strong computational abilities, making you indispensable as the field evolves.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$589K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score41/100
Earnings Multiple22.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$663K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score40/100
Earnings Multiple25.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$676K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score41/100
Earnings Multiple26.0x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Brigham Young University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Ecology & Evolutionary Biology graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
2
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
+17.3% 10-yr growth · 27,400 openings/yr
$105,620/yr
Moderate
3
Statisticians
+8.5% 10-yr growth · 2,000 openings/yr
$103,300/yr
High
4
Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary
+4.0% 10-yr growth · 100 openings/yr
$100,830/yr
Moderate
5
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
+8.7% 10-yr growth · 9,600 openings/yr
$100,590/yr
High
6
Biological scientists, all other
+1.2% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$93,330/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

How Brigham Young University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Princeton University
NJ · Private nonprofit
40
DW Score
$53K
1-yr earn
1.2x
ROI
New York University
NY · Private nonprofit
36
DW Score
$41K
1-yr earn
1.9x
ROI
Top score
California State University-San Marcos
CA · Public
44
DW Score
$41K
1-yr earn
12.2x
ROI
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
NJ · Public
37
DW Score
$39K
1-yr earn
4.7x
ROI
University of Colorado Boulder
CO · Public
39
DW Score
$37K
1-yr earn
7.4x
ROI
Also at Brigham Young University

Other top programs at Brigham Young University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Brigham Young University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Brigham Young University

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Brigham Young University?

A score of 40/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Ecology & Evolutionary Biology careers?

With 46% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $589,246 in decade earnings vs $676,039 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

What makes Brigham Young University's Ecology & Evolutionary Biology program stand out?

Ranked #7 of 64 programs nationally, Brigham Young University lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.

Can you still earn well with Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from Brigham Young University?

First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.