by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, marine biology was the 298th most popular major nationwide with 1,835 degrees awarded. This represents a 4.3% reduction in biological oceanography degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 1,914.
Our 2023 Best Marine Biology Schools ranking analyzes 61 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for marine biology students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of biological oceanography programs later in this article.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents is a required skill for biological oceanography majors. Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience and giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times are all required skills for careers related to this major.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. Specific biological oceanography careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
There are many different biological oceanography degree levels. You can get anything from a in marine biology to the highest biological oceanography degree, a . Depending on the marine biology degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to biological oceanography, with approximately 36.7% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for biological oceanography workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 35.6% |
| Doctoral Degree | 19.9% |
| Master’s Degree | 18.8% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 17.0% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 2.4% |
About 55.0% of workers in careers related to biological oceanography obtain at least master's degrees. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in marine biology have obtained.
This of course varies depending on which biological oceanography career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your biological oceanography degree? Marine Biology careers are expected to grow 11.5% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to marine biology.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Science Professors | 71,700 | 15.1% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 62,300 | 9.9% |
| Biological Scientists | 41,800 | 8.0% |
As you might expect, salaries for biological oceanography graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for marine biology graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers biological oceanography grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Natural Sciences Managers | $139,680 |
| Biological Science Professors | $97,340 |
| Biological Scientists | $83,600 |
With over 156 different biological oceanography degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased biological oceanography school rankings to help you with this.
Marine Biology is one of 11 different types of Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Epidemiology | 2,305 |
| Ecology | 1,060 |
| Evolutionary Biology | 697 |
| Environmental Biology | 466 |
| Conservation Biology | 309 |
Image Credit: By Ernst Haeckel under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
