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# Best Ecology Programs in the West (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

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

This page ranks 16 Ecology programs in the West by median earnings of Ecology graduates four years after completing. [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/majors/) leads the list at 1st with median earnings of $63,525 for its graduates four years after completing.

Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $63,525 to $19,227, with a median of $51,126. For 4 of the 16 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 14 of the 16 programs, and private nonprofits for 2. California State University-Long Beach posts the lowest average net price on the list at $10,440.

University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

16 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $63,525 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% |
|  | [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/majors/) reports [$63,525 in median earnings](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/outcomes/) for its Ecology graduates four years after completing, with 30 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 2 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $62,011 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
|  | [University of California-Davis](/school/university-of-california-davis/majors/) [admits 42% of applicants](/school/university-of-california-davis/admissions/) and its Ecology graduates earn a median of $62,011 four years after completing. |
| 3 | Brigham Young University · Provo, UT | $61,078 | $15,564 | $10,444 | 67.8% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Provo, [Brigham Young University](/school/brigham-young-university/majors/) shows [median earnings of $61,078](/school/brigham-young-university/outcomes/) for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. |
| 4 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $55,588 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
|  | [California State University-Long Beach](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/majors/) carries an [average net price of $10,440](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/cost/) and ranks 5th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 5 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Fort Collins, CO | $54,370 | $21,279 | $13,259 | 88.5% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed at [Colorado State University-Fort Collins](/school/colorado-state-university-fort-collins/majors/) left with a [median of $20,000](/school/colorado-state-university-fort-collins/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school's Ecology graduates earn a median of $54,370 four years after completing. |
| 6 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $53,429 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
|  | [University of Colorado Boulder](/school/university-of-colorado-boulder/majors/) reports 209 graduates in the earnings cohort for its Ecology program, with [median earnings of $53,429](/school/university-of-colorado-boulder/outcomes/) four years after completing. |
| 7 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $52,701 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
|  | Ranking 7th on this list, [University of California-San Diego](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/majors/) posts an [admission rate of 27%](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/admissions/) and median earnings of $52,701 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. |
| 8 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $51,559 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
|  | With an [average net price of $5,579](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/) reports median earnings of $51,559 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. |
| 9 | University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA | $50,694 | $16,109 | $9,231 | 33.0% |
|  | [University of California-Santa Barbara](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/majors/) shows a [median of $13,993](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/outcomes/) in federal loans across all of its borrowers who completed, alongside median earnings of $50,694 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. |
| 10 | University of California-Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz, CA | $49,821 | $17,890 | $8,717 | 65.8% |
|  | Its Ecology graduates earn a [median of $49,821](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/outcomes/) four years after completing, and [University of California-Santa Cruz](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/majors/) ranks 109th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 11 | University of Hawaii at Manoa · Honolulu, HI | $46,500 | $15,664 | $10,675 | 86.6% |
|  | Admitting 87% of applicants, [University of Hawaii at Manoa](/school/university-of-hawaii-at-manoa/majors/) reports [median earnings of $46,500](/school/university-of-hawaii-at-manoa/outcomes/) for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. |
| 12 | University of Hawaii at Hilo · Hilo, HI | $39,528 | $11,856 | $8,983 | 60.6% |
|  | An average net price of $11,856 coincides with median earnings of $39,528 for Ecology graduates of University of Hawaii at Hilo four years after completing. |
| 13 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $36,674 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
|  | [University of Washington-Seattle Campus](/school/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/majors/) [admits 39% of applicants](/school/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/admissions/) and reports an average net price of $6,384 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 14 | University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ | $21,964 | $16,674 | $13,353 | 86.1% |
|  | With [median earnings of $21,964](/school/university-of-arizona/outcomes/) four years after completing, [University of Arizona](/school/university-of-arizona/majors/) ranks 14th on this list and counts 27 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 15 | Hawaii Pacific University · Honolulu, HI | $20,687 | $29,657 | $25,758 | 85.9% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Honolulu, Hawaii Pacific University reports 25 graduates in the earnings cohort and an average net price of $29,657. |
| 16 | University of Oregon · Eugene, OR | $19,227 | $22,182 | $15,909 | 88.3% |
|  | [University of Oregon](/school/university-of-oregon/majors/) posts [median earnings of $19,227](/school/university-of-oregon/outcomes/) four years after completing and ranks 384th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |

## 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 West appear. The figure is the median for federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 4 of the 16 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 gap between California State Polytechnic University-Pomona and University of California-Davis is $1,514, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom is $44,298.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Ecology Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-ecology-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in the West](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-west/)
-   [Best Ecology Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-ecology-programs-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/)
-   Biological Sciences Colleges in the West for Social Mobility