Did You Know?
A marine biologist can scoop up a single bottle of seawater and figure out which animals recently swam through it. Every fish, whale, and shark sheds bits of DNA into the water, and reading that trace evidence is now a standard research tool.
The Numbers Behind the Career
About 1,400 openings for zoologist and wildlife biologist are projected each year over the next decade.
The median annual salary for zoologist and wildlife biologist was $76,780 in 2025.
There were about zoologist and wildlife biologist jobs in the U.S. in 2025, a category that includes marine biologists.
Where This Career Is Headed
Over the next decade, marine biology will lean more heavily on predictive modeling, using years of accumulated tracking and genetic data to forecast how species will shift their ranges before those shifts fully happen, rather than just documenting change after the fact. As deep-sea mining, offshore wind farms, and shipping routes expand into previously untouched ocean territory, marine biologists will increasingly be pulled into policy and legal debates over how to balance economic activity with ecosystem protection. Some researchers will focus on assisted evolution, actively breeding coral and other species for heat tolerance rather than only monitoring their decline. The career will likely split further between fieldwork-heavy roles and data- and policy-heavy roles as the volume of ocean data keeps growing.
Predictive modeling will let marine biologists forecast where species are likely to migrate years in advance, shifting the field from documenting change to anticipating it.
Assisted evolution research, breeding coral and other vulnerable species for greater heat and acidification tolerance, could become a mainstream conservation strategy rather than an experimental one.
As ocean industries expand, marine biologists with policy expertise will be needed to help write rules for activities like deep-sea mining and offshore energy development that do not yet exist.
Education & Certification
Most marine biologists start with a bachelor's degree in marine biology, biology, or a related environmental science, which typically takes four years and includes coursework in chemistry, ecology, and statistics, along with hands-on lab and fieldwork. Many research and university positions require a master's degree or Ph.D., especially for roles that involve leading independent studies or teaching at the college level. Entry-level jobs with government agencies, aquariums, or conservation nonprofits are often available to those with a bachelor's degree, particularly when paired with fieldwork experience gained through internships or volunteer programs. Scuba certification is often required or strongly preferred for roles involving underwater fieldwork, and some positions require specialized training in boat operation or specific research equipment. The path is flexible, with many marine biologists gaining as much real-world skill through internships, research assistantships, and field seasons as they do through formal coursework.
To Prepare:
Take biology, chemistry, and environmental science courses, and look for any marine science, oceanography, or ecology electives your school offers.
Join a school science club, environmental team, or research program that involves data collection, fieldwork, or lab work of any kind.
Research summer marine science camps, field stations, or youth conservation programs that offer hands-on exposure to ocean research methods.
