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Marine Biologists


Overview

Marine Biologists

Introduction

Marine biologists study species of plants and animals living in saltwater, their interactions with one another, and how they influence and are influenced by environmental factors. Marine biology is a branch of the biological sciences, and biologists in this area work in myriad industries, including government agencies, universities, aquariums, and fish hatcheries, to name a few. They generally work either in a laboratory setting or in the field, which in this case means being in or on the ocean or its margins. Approximately 19,300 w...

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$77,968

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Employment Prospects

Fair

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Minimum Education Level

Bachelor's Degree


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Experience

Internship


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Skills

Leadership
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Personality Traits

Curious
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Earnings

Salaries vary quite a lot depending on factors such as the person's level of education, the type of work (research, teaching, etc.), the size, location, and type of employer (for example, large university, government agency, or private company), and the person's level of work experience. Salary.com reported that marine biologists employed in the U.S. in December 2019 had an average annual salar...

Work Environment

Most marine biologists don't actually spend a lot of time diving. However, researchers might spend a couple of hours periodically breathing from a scuba tank below some waters, like Monterey Bay or the Gulf of Maine. They might gather samples from the deck of a large research vessel during a two-month expedition, or they might meet with several other research biologists.

In most marine b...

Outlook

The Department of Labor predicts average employment growth through 2028 for wildlife biologists, including marine biologists. Ongoing changes in the earth's environment, such as global climate change and increased levels of heavy metals in the global water cycle, will most likely prompt more research and result in slightly more jobs in different subfields of marine biology. Education is extreme...