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# Best Ecology Programs in the Northeast (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Biological Sciences Colleges in the Northeast](/rankings/best-biological-sciences-colleges-in-the-northeast/)

Regional list from [Best Ecology Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-ecology-programs/)

This page ranks the 19 Ecology programs in the Northeast by the median earnings of Ecology graduates four years after completing, highest first. [New York University](/school/new-york-university/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $65,406 for its graduates four years after completing, followed by Connecticut College at $62,925 and [Princeton University](/school/princeton-university/majors/) at $62,344.

The figures span from $65,406 to $22,667, with a median of $48,446 across the listed programs. For 4 of the 19 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

The list includes 8 public and 11 private nonprofit institutions. Princeton University posts the lowest average net price at $6,128, while Rutgers University-New Brunswick ranks 30th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania reports the highest admission rate, admitting 92% of applicants.

## The ranked list

19 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | New York University · New York, NY | $65,406 | $37,050 | $16,977 | 9.2% |
|  | [New York University](/school/new-york-university/majors/) reports [$65,406 in median earnings](/school/new-york-university/outcomes/) for its Ecology graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 9%. |
| 2 | Connecticut College · New London, CT | $62,925 | $36,175 | $13,341 | 37.0% |
|  | Connecticut College ranks 2nd on this list, with median federal debt of $25,979 among Ecology completers who borrowed. |
| 3 | Princeton University · Princeton, NJ | $62,344 | $6,128 | $41 | 4.6% |
|  | [Princeton University](/school/princeton-university/majors/) posts an [average net price of $6,128,](/school/princeton-university/cost/) the lowest on the page, and a school-wide median federal debt of $10,320 across all of its borrowers who completed. |
| 4 | Boston University · Boston, MA | $57,967 | $24,402 | $9,500 | 11.1% |
|  | [Boston University](/school/boston-university/majors/) shows [$57,967 in median earnings](/school/boston-university/outcomes/) for its Ecology graduates four years after completing, with 26 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 5 | Stony Brook University · Stony Brook, NY | $53,747 | $18,784 | $12,943 | 49.0% |
|  | A public university in Stony Brook, [Stony Brook University](/school/stony-brook-university/majors/) [admits 49% of applicants](/school/stony-brook-university/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $53,747 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. |
| 6 | University of Connecticut · Storrs, CT | $52,766 | $25,097 | $15,193 | 52.4% |
|  | [University of Connecticut](/school/university-of-connecticut/majors/) [ranks 105th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-connecticut/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and carries median federal debt of $26,012 among Ecology completers who borrowed. |
| 7 | Roger Williams University · Bristol, RI | $51,857 | $37,999 | $29,778 | 87.7% |
|  | Roger Williams University reports median earnings of $51,857 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 88%. |
| 8 | SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry · Syracuse, NY | $50,010 | $18,952 | $9,473 | 63.3% |
|  | SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry lists a school-wide median federal debt of $11,000 across all of its borrowers who completed, and an average net price of $18,952. |
| 9 | University of New England · Biddeford, ME | $48,592 | $38,107 | $31,371 | 91.6% |
|  | University of New England ranks 9th on this list, with median earnings of $48,592 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. |
| 10 | University of Rhode Island · Kingston, RI | $48,446 | $21,440 | $14,368 | 72.2% |
|  | An [average net price of $21,440](/school/university-of-rhode-island/cost/) and median federal debt of $20,500 among Ecology completers who borrowed are reported by [University of Rhode Island](/school/university-of-rhode-island/majors/). |
| 11 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick · New Brunswick, NJ | $47,553 | $24,406 | $16,343 | 58.2% |
|  | [Rutgers University-New Brunswick](/school/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/majors/) holds the strongest Azimuth composite rank on the page, 30th among nonprofit four-year institutions, and reports [median earnings of $47,553](/school/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/outcomes/) for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. |
| 12 | University of New Haven · West Haven, CT | $45,115 | $34,192 | $27,837 | 60.4% |
|  | [University of New Haven](/school/university-of-new-haven/majors/) [admits 60% of applicants](/school/university-of-new-haven/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $45,115 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. |
| 13 | Stockton University · Galloway, NJ | $44,981 | $20,670 | $15,135 | 88.9% |
|  | [Stockton University](/school/stockton-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $44,981](/school/stockton-university/outcomes/) for its Ecology graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 38 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 14 | Unity Environmental University · New Gloucester, ME | $44,652 | $19,104 | $18,370 | Not reported |
|  | A private nonprofit institution in New Gloucester, [Unity Environmental University](/school/unity-environmental-university/majors/) carries an [average net price of $19,104](/school/unity-environmental-university/cost/) and an Azimuth composite rank of 372nd among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 15 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh · Plattsburgh, NY | $44,153 | $17,156 | $9,400 | 78.4% |
|  | [State University of New York at Plattsburgh](/school/state-university-of-new-york-at-plattsburgh/majors/) [admits 78% of applicants](/school/state-university-of-new-york-at-plattsburgh/admissions/) and shows median earnings of $44,153 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. |
| 16 | Harvard University · Cambridge, MA | $42,682 | $19,066 | $8,697 | 3.7% |
|  | [Harvard University](/school/harvard-university/majors/) posts an [admission rate of 4%](/school/harvard-university/admissions/) and an average net price of $8,697 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 17 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania · East Stroudsburg, PA | $33,281 | $18,134 | $15,365 | 92.1% |
|  | [East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/) ranks 17th on this list, with an [admission rate of 92%](/school/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania/admissions/) and an Azimuth composite rank of 472nd among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 18 | Yale University · New Haven, CT | $30,771 | $23,777 | $17,633 | 3.9% |
|  | [Yale University](/school/yale-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $30,771](/school/yale-university/outcomes/) for its Ecology graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $23,777. |
| 19 | Monmouth University · West Long Branch, NJ | $22,667 | $30,988 | $18,924 | 89.0% |
|  | [Monmouth University](/school/monmouth-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $22,667](/school/monmouth-university/outcomes/) for its Ecology graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $30,988. |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Ecology graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Northeast appear. The figures are medians for federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 4 of the 19 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from New York University to the lowest-ranked program is $42,739, with a gap of $2,481 between New York University and Connecticut College.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Ecology Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-ecology-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in the Northeast](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-northeast/)
-   [Best Ecology Programs in the Midwest](/rankings/best-ecology-programs-in-the-midwest/)
-   [Best Ecology Programs in the South](/rankings/best-ecology-programs-in-the-south/)
-   [Best Ecology Programs in the West](/rankings/best-ecology-programs-in-the-west/)
-   [Best Biological Sciences Colleges in the Northeast](/rankings/best-biological-sciences-colleges-in-the-northeast/)
-   Biological Sciences Colleges in the Northeast for Social Mobility