Also called: Quantitative Fisheries Scientist, Population Dynamics Modeler
Uses math models to estimate how many fish are in the ocean and how many can be caught without crashing the population.
You crunch survey data, catch records, and fish ages into complex population models, then present catch limits to councils of fishermen and regulators. Your numbers decide what billion-dollar fisheries can catch next year.
Federal NOAA GS-12 to GS-14 range; estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Doctorate (PhD), about 9 years after high school. PhD (sometimes MS) in quantitative fisheries science, statistics, or ecology.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Fisheries Science, Statistics, Quantitative Ecology, Applied Mathematics.
Growing about average. Small field with a known shortage of quantitative scientists.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI speeds model fitting and data work, so fewer junior analysts; defending assessments to fishery councils stays human.
Classes: AP Calculus, AP Statistics, Computer science, Biology.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-1023.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.