Did You Know?
A tsunami crossing the open ocean is usually less than three feet tall, so ships sail right over one without noticing. The danger comes from its length, since a single wave can stretch for hundreds of miles.
The Numbers Behind the Career
The median salary for geoscientists in the U.S. as of 2025 was $101,920.
There were about 25,400 geoscientists in the U.S. as of 2025.
About 1,800 geoscientist job openings are projected each year over the next decade.
Where This Career Is Headed
The next decade will push oceanographers into questions the field has never had to answer at this scale before. A new United Nations treaty protecting the high seas, the open ocean beyond any single country’s control, took effect in 2026, and oceanographers will increasingly help decide how its rules are put into practice as mining, shipping, and energy projects expand into those waters. Experimental techniques for helping the ocean absorb more carbon, such as adding natural minerals to seawater, are moving from small trials toward larger real-world testing, and oceanographers will play a central role in measuring how well these approaches actually work. As robotic ocean vehicles become capable of operating independently for months at a time, entire research missions may run with little or no ship involved at all, changing what fieldwork looks like for the next generation of oceanographers. At the same time, studying how Earth’s deep ocean works is increasingly informing how scientists search for oceans hidden beneath the ice of distant moons, connecting ocean science to the search for life elsewhere in the solar system.
As the new high seas treaty moves from paper to practice over the next decade, oceanographers with policy knowledge will be needed to help translate science into workable rules for protected areas and environmental reviews.
Ocean-based carbon removal research is moving toward larger real-world testing, creating new roles focused on measuring how well these approaches work.
Long-duration autonomous ocean vehicles will open up research in remote or hard-to-reach waters that were previously impossible or too costly to study.
Education & Certification
Oceanographers typically begin with a bachelor’s degree in oceanography, marine science, physics, chemistry, geology, or a closely related field, with coursework in calculus, physics, and chemistry forming the backbone of most programs. Research positions, university teaching roles, and leadership on major scientific projects usually require a master’s degree or PhD, since original ocean research is often conducted as part of graduate-level work. Many oceanographers also gain early experience through research cruises, internships with organizations like NOAA, or university-affiliated marine labs, building the fieldwork skills that complement their classroom training. Unlike geologists, who often need a state license to offer their services to the public, oceanographers working in research roles generally do not need a professional license.
To Prepare...
Take advanced courses in physics, chemistry, and calculus, since oceanography relies heavily on all three to understand how the ocean physically behaves.
Seek out earth science, environmental science, or oceanography electives if your school offers them, to get an early introduction to how ocean systems work.
Look into a summer research program, science camp, or coastal field station that offers hands-on exposure to ocean or earth science research methods.
