Also called: Ichthyology Collection Manager, Natural History Collections Manager (Fishes)
Cares for a museum’s millions of preserved fish in jars, so scientists can study them for centuries.
Rows of shelves hold glass jars of fish in alcohol, some collected 150 years ago. The collection manager tops off evaporating ethanol, catalogs new deep-sea specimens, X-rays rare fish, and packs loans for researchers around the world. They also freeze tissue samples for DNA studies.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 6 years after high school. Bachelor’s in biology; many collection managers have a master’s.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Biology, Marine Biology, Museum Studies.
Growing slowly. Few positions; depends on museum funding.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI can help identify and catalog specimens from photos, but caring for jars and handling loans stays hands-on.
Classes: Biology, Chemistry, Photography.
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.