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Ornithologist Education Requirements
Updated April 5, 2024
3 min read
The educational requirements for an ornithologist are a bachelor's degree in a field such as ecology, biology, environmental science, or wildlife management. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "a bachelor's degree in biology, ecology, zoology, or wildlife biology" is generally the minimum education required. That being said, many ornithologists go on to earn a master's or doctorate degree in a related field in order to gain an advantage in the field.
What education do you need to become an ornithologist?
What degree do you need to be an ornithologist?
- Bachelor's, 69%
- Master's, 13%
- Diploma, 13%
- Associate, 6%
What should I major in to become an ornithologist?
The best college majors for an ornithologist include ecology, population biology, and epidemiology, biology, environmental science, psychology, wildlife management, and zoology. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, zoologists and wildlife biologists typically need a bachelor's degree in zoology, wildlife biology, or a related field, such as natural resources, to enter the occupation.
- Biology, 24%
- Psychology, 5%
- Other Majors, 28%
Most common colleges for ornithologists
| Ornithologist Common College | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Miami | 8.33% |
| College of the Atlantic | 8.33% |
| Clemson University | 8.33% |
| University of Florida | 8.33% |
| Iowa State University of Science and Technology | 8.33% |
Best majors for ornithologists
The best college majors for an ornithologist include ecology, population biology, and epidemiology, biology, environmental science, psychology, wildlife management, and zoology. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, zoologists and wildlife biologists typically need a bachelor's degree in zoology, wildlife biology, or a related field, such as natural resources, to enter the occupation.
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ecology, Population Biology, And Epidemiology | 28.6% |
| 2 | Biology | 23.8% |
| 3 | Environmental Science | 14.3% |
| 4 | Psychology | 4.8% |
| 5 | Wildlife Management | 4.8% |
Best colleges for ornithologists
Advanced education is crucial for ornithologists, leading to higher salaries and better job opportunities. Zippia identified the best colleges for ornithologists based on metrics like admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, and student debt. Top schools include Duke University, Harvard University, and University of California - Davis, offering programs from bachelor's to doctoral levels.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-State Tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
6. University of California - Davis
Davis, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$14,402
Enrollment
30,698
7. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-State Tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
8. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
9. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-State Tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-State Tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
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Top 10 most affordable universities for ornithologists
The most affordable schools for ornithologists are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for ornithologists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for ornithologists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,381
Cost of Attendance
21,034
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,182
Cost of Attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,798
Cost of Attendance
18,306
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,620
Cost of Attendance
18,136
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,410
Cost of Attendance
20,456
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,656
Cost of Attendance
21,623
7. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,749
Cost of Attendance
14,823
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,556
Cost of Attendance
19,434
9. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,309
Cost of Attendance
16,714
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,987
Cost of Attendance
25,527
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for ornithologists
The hardest universities for ornithologists to get into are Duke University, Harvard University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for ornithologists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for ornithologists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions Rate
9%
SAT Average
1,516
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
5%
SAT Average
1,520
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,508
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
4%
SAT Average
1,497
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,492
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
6%
SAT Average
1,512
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions Rate
11%
SAT Average
1,513
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
11%
SAT Average
1,471
9. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions Rate
10%
SAT Average
1,514
10. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions Rate
15%
SAT Average
1,506
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for ornithologists
The easiest schools for ornithologists to get into are Wayland Baptist University, barry university, and curry college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an ornithologist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for ornithologists.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
98%
SAT Average
1,003
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions Rate
91%
SAT Average
1,006
3. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
93%
SAT Average
1,026
4. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
82%
SAT Average
983
5. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
100%
SAT Average
1,072
6. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
72%
SAT Average
1,054
7. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions Rate
93%
SAT Average
994
8. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions Rate
95%
SAT Average
980
9. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
85%
SAT Average
1,053
10. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
100%
SAT Average
1,035
Average ornithologist salary by education level
| Ornithologist education level | Ornithologist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $53,297 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $48,160 |
| Doctorate Degree | $62,633 |
Ornithologist Education FAQs
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Updated April 5, 2024
Updated April 5, 2024