Ecology & Evolutionary Biologyat California State University-Fullerton
Graduates earn $35,110/yr in their first year — about 18.0% above the national Ecology & Evolutionary Biology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $625K; scenarios range from $561K to $635K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at CSU Fullerton
This program's exceptional standing reflects its practical, regionally focused approach within Southern California's dynamic environmental sector. Your education here benefits from proximity to diverse ecosystems—coastal, mountain, and desert—which fuels consistent demand for skilled ecologists in areas like conservation, environmental consulting, and resource management. The CSU system’s emphasis on applied learning, often through local internships and field studies, directly prepares you for roles with regional government agencies, environmental firms, and non-profits. This practical foundation, combined with strong analytical skills in population biology and systematics, makes graduates highly adaptable to the evolving needs of the job market. To maximize your career trajectory, focus on developing robust quantitative skills, including GIS and statistical modeling, as these will be critical for interpreting complex data and leading projects in an increasingly data-driven field.
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.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to CSU Fullerton's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
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.
Peer schools offering Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
How CSU Fullerton stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at CSU Fullerton
Other highest-scoring programs offered at CSU Fullerton, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at CSU Fullerton
How does California State University-Fullerton's Ecology & Evolutionary Biology program score?
This program scores 50/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Ecology & Evolutionary Biology graduates.
How vulnerable is Ecology & Evolutionary Biology to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Ecology & Evolutionary Biology careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 46% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does California State University-Fullerton rank so high for Ecology & Evolutionary Biology?
The #1 ranking out of 64 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.