Becoming a Marine Biologist

What is a marine biologist? What do marine biologists do? What does it take to become a marine biologist? How much do marine biologists make? This article answers all these questions and more. It explains marine biologist education and training requirements, outlines common marine biologist job duties, and shares typical salary, specialties and employment opportunities available to marine biologists.

Table of Contents
Marine Biologist Education, Training and Experience Requirements
Marine Biologist Job Description
Marine Biologist Salary and Employment Information

Marine Biologist Education, Training and Experience Requirements

Entry-level jobs in marine biology typically require a Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree. To become a full-fledged marine biologist that is able to conduct your own research, you must commit to several years of study:

• A four-year Bachelor's Degree
• A two-year Master's Degree
• A six-year Ph.D.

Some schools will allow you to forego the Master's Degree and jump right from undergraduate school into a Ph.D. program or pursue your Master's Degree and Ph.D. concurrently. This means you could potentially complete the Master's Degree and Ph.D. portions of a marine biologist's education in six years instead of eight years.

Many colleges and universities offer actual marine biology degrees. But, at least for undergraduate study, a marine biology degree is not really necessary. Many students major in biology and minor in chemistry or physics for their Bachelor's Degrees. Generally speaking, appropriate undergraduate education for someone who plans to pursue a Master's Degree in marine biology include classes in chemistry, zoology, biology, physics, biometrics, statistics and mathematics.

English is also an important subject as many marine biologists depend on writing grant applications to fund their research and eventually seek publication in scientific journals. Do not underestimate the importance of being well-written and well-spoken. These are vital skills for a successful marine biology career.

Internships or summer jobs at a marine lab are also important because they'll give you on-the-job experience and offer a sense of what a career as a marine biologist would truly be like. One of the more popular marine lab internships is the Research Experiences for Undergraduate Programs created by the National Science Foundation. The REU program actually pays students a stipend (plus expenses) for a summer of research.

Choosing the right school for your two-year Master's Degree program is important as there are different areas of marine biology, such as fishery biology, marine mammalogy, hydrology, ethology, ichthyology, oceanography and more. Now is the time to determine what areas of marine science you might want to specialize in.

To receive grants for your own marine biology research projects and/or teach at a university (many marine biologists do both), then you must earn your Ph.D., which normally takes about six years. Keep in mind that some universities have "dual" programs that allow you to transition from a Master's Degree program right into a Ph.D. program. After completing a Ph.D., you can officially call yourself a marine biologist.

Marine Biologist Job Description

"Marine biologist" may bring to mind images of Jacques Cousteau training dolphins at an ocean park or an exciting adventure on a coral reef. But very few marine biologists work with dolphins or whales. The title marine biologist is actually a general label for various professionals, including oceanographer, marine mammalogist (someone who works with dolphins and whales), ichthyologist, fishery biologist, physicist, hydrologist, mathematician, biological technician, microbiologist, or even systems analyst.

Many newly graduated marine biologist Ph.D.'s take a "post-doc position" for two years while they look for permanent work in their specific field of marine biology. In a post-doctorate position, you're almost considered a student, but are paid to work on a research project. Most "post-doc" positions are found at graduate schools where you can do your research and teach, although some "post-doc" jobs are in the private sector.

After "post-doc" work, a marine biologist may then work for a government or private lab, teach at a college or university, conduct research, or serve as a resource manager for government agencies such as a Fisheries Agency. They are also employed at environmental advocacy organizations and conservation groups, aquariums and zoos.

In their day-to-day duties, marine biologists may manage a marine wildlife sanctuary, record information about marine organisms, collect undersea sponges and other organisms, search for bioactive drugs to help cure diseases, count and track marine creatures, perform DNA sequencing, or observe organisms in a lab.

Marine Biologist Salary and Employment Information

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there is a demand for biological scientists specializing in botany, zoology, and marine biology, but jobs are often limited because of the small size of these fields. Potential marine biology students should consider that the number of college graduates who want to enter this field often outnumber the new job openings.

Even those who hold doctoral degrees are likely to face keen competition for basic research positions. Those research positions are dependent on writing successful grant proposals (be sure to take those English classes in college!). The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that about one in four grant proposals are given the green light for long-term research projects; other sources say the odds are closer to one in 10. So marine biologists have to write several grant applications in order to improve their odds for funding.

The Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) reports that the supply of marine scientists often exceeds the demand, and the number of state and federal government jobs is declining. Fishery science (the study of fish and marine mammal population dynamics) is the field of marine biology with the highest demand.

In addition to the usual aquatic and animal studies, the SWFSC recommends a background in advanced mathematics and computer skills to get an advantage in that particular employment market. The good news is that more colleges are offering programs in fisheries and/or wildlife management.

Demand for marine biologists does have the potential to increase in the future. The emerging "green economy and job market," which is being driven by global warming and environmental issues, could increase the need for marine biologists who can perform environmental studies and analysis.

According to Payscale.com, salaries for marine biologists, based on years of experience, range from approximately $50K to $71K. If we look at median salaries for marine biologists based on degree level, Bachelor's of Science and Master's Degrees fall in the $50K range, while a Ph.D. degree averages an average annual salary of $60K. SimplyHired.com calculates the average salary of marine biologists to be $44K (no mention of education level).

About the author: Michael Allen is a Los Angeles-based writer whose credits include print, the web and television. He is not a marine biologist, but once worked as a tour guide at Sea World for one day. He was dismissed after telling park guests which underwater exhibits taste the best. His website is www.SanVicenteMedia.com.