COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology doctoral degree at Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI · Public
What this page covers
Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.
The short version
Reported earnings are below similar programs.
$20,990 below the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- Not available
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- $32,958 / year
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- Withheld by data safeguards
- Available price data
- College-wide context only
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT
Size, aid and an earnings floor.
The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$49,483Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$76,183$26,700 above the preliminary benchmark
Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.
GRADUATE-DEGREE BASELINE
$76,183 vs. $48,842
$27,341 above the national bachelor’s median in the same field.
Comparison basis63 bachelor’s program records
This is a cross-cohort benchmark, not the salary increase caused by earning this graduate credential. Your current earnings remain the correct baseline for personal ROI.
01 · PRICE CONTEXT$19,680
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWINGNot available
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$76,183
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENTNot available
Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.
WHAT WILL IT COST?
Published college costs provide the starting point.
Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.
Enter my price →AVERAGE NET PRICE$19,680Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$32,198Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE84.8%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE80.7%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?
Reported earnings after completion.
Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
Repayment pressure is not available
Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.
Gross monthly earnings$6,349
Estimated loan paymentNot available
Not availableborrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$76,183 vs. $97,173
$20,990 below the national median for the same field and credential.
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?
Related occupations, wages and outlook.
Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.
BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.Biological Scientists, All Other$81,540 median wageMI estimate · 860 jobs · 19-1029$65,170–$106,330 middle 50% of MI wages+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 4,300 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBiological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$103,620 median wageMI estimate · 1,460 jobs · 25-1042$78,380–$133,070 middle 50% of MI wages+7.3% projected U.S. growth · 4,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeNatural Sciences Managers$129,070 median wageMI estimate · 2,220 jobs · 11-9121$98,300–$169,290 middle 50% of MI wages+8.2% projected U.S. growth · 9,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeConservation Scientists$63,500 median wageMI estimate · 820 jobs · 19-1031$52,980–$89,230 middle 50% of MI wages+5.3% projected U.S. growth · 2,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeZoologists and Wildlife Biologists$79,150 median wageMI estimate · 330 jobs · 19-1023$63,520–$92,600 middle 50% of MI wages+3.6% projected U.S. growth · 1,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEnvironmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary$112,730 median wageMI estimate · 270 jobs · 25-1053$77,090–$135,140 middle 50% of MI wages+2.7% projected U.S. growth · 600 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeHealth Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$108,970 median wageMI estimate · 3,430 jobs · 25-1071$71,300–$175,370 middle 50% of MI wages+17.9% projected U.S. growth · 24,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEpidemiologists$84,990 median wageMI estimate · 280 jobs · 19-1041$66,450–$97,260 middle 50% of MI wages+18.7% projected U.S. growth · 800 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeLife Scientists, All Other$63,960 median wageMI estimate · 90 jobs · 19-1099$63,960–$83,180 middle 50% of MI wages+6.3% projected U.S. growth · 400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBiological Technicians$51,070 median wageMI estimate · 1,160 jobs · 19-4021$43,200–$60,350 middle 50% of MI wages+7.4% projected U.S. growth · 9,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeForestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary$138,130 median wageMI estimate · 60 jobs · 25-1043$133,370–$138,130 middle 50% of MI wages+2.8% projected U.S. growth · 100 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeStatisticians$102,710 median wageMI estimate · 570 jobs · 15-2041$74,110–$143,220 middle 50% of MI wages+11.0% projected U.S. growth · 1,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degree
Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.
Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.
Harvard University
$109,722 higher earnings · $614 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $185,905
- Debt
- Not available
- Annual net price
- $19,066
Johns Hopkins University
$41,640 higher earnings · $871 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $117,823
- Debt
- Not available
- Annual net price
- $18,809
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
$37,144 higher earnings · $8,025 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $113,327
- Debt
- Not available
- Annual net price
- $11,655
University of California, Irvine
$14,492 higher earnings · $5,429 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $90,675
- Debt
- Not available
- Annual net price
- $14,251
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
Not reported observations in the earnings cohort
June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release
Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page
Your price and current earnings determine the result.
Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.
Calculate my payoff →