Also called: Marine Scientist, Marine Ecologist
Studies sea creatures, from whales and sharks to corals and microbes.
Depending on the job, a marine biologist might tag sharks, survey tide pools, count fish on scuba, or analyze DNA in a lab. Field days are exciting; plenty of time is also spent on data and reports.
Based on BLS zoologists and wildlife biologists median (~$72k).
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in marine biology or biology; many research jobs need a master's or PhD. Competitive field.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Marine Biology, Biology, Zoology, Environmental Science.
Growing about average (about 2% over 10 years).
Low risk for 10 years. AI identifies species in photos and sounds; tagging sharks, diving surveys and fieldwork stay human.
Classes: AP Biology, Chemistry, Statistics.
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.