Also called: Aquarium Executive
Leads animal care, conservation, and exhibits at a major public aquarium.
Directors oversee hundreds of species and staff, approve new exhibits, manage budgets, and represent the aquarium in conservation partnerships.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 12 years after high school. Master's or PhD in biology plus long experience in aquariums.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $60k – $150k.
Majors to look at: Marine Biology, Zoology, Nonprofit Management.
Growing faster than average (about 5% over 10 years).
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps with budgets and visitor data; leading animal care, staff and conservation partners stays human.
Classes: AP Biology, Business CTE class, Speech and debate.
Official data: O*NET occupation 11-9151.
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.