Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology at Nova Southeastern University

Nova Southeastern's ecology program graduates earn $31,114 in their first year—about 17% more than the state median and 6% above the national average for this field. Among Florida's 13 ecology programs, this ranks near the 60th percentile, placing it ahead of established names like University of Miami and University of West Florida. The debt load of $23,549 is essentially average for the field, resulting in a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76.

However, there's an important caveat: this data comes from a small sample of fewer than 30 graduates, which means one or two outliers could significantly skew these numbers. The pattern could look quite different in future years, and there isn't enough data to assess longer-term earnings trajectories that matter for conservation biology and environmental science careers, where graduate degrees often unlock better opportunities.

For a student committed to ecology but uncertain about graduate school, these numbers suggest a reasonable starting point—better than most Florida alternatives and enough of an earnings cushion over debt to service loans. Just understand you're making this assessment on limited information, and the relatively open admissions (73% acceptance rate) means academic preparation will vary widely among peers. If your child is considering graduate school in this field, the undergraduate debt matters more than the first-year salary.