Introduction
Because oceans make up a huge portion of the surface of Earth, it is no wonder that there are a ton of things to study underwater. Whether you are interested the movement of mammals from season to season, the countless plants found in and around oceans, or something more spectacular like coral reefs, chances are you are the type of person who would enjoy working a Marine Biologist salary position.
Marine Biology
The actual definition of marine biology is the study of marine life and ecosystems. The parameters are undefined, so this could mean studying the smallest of organisms or the environments which fish swim in. Due to the fact that almost three fourths of the world is oceans, there exist far more underwater life than we could hope to comprehensively study in a lifetime.
Although “Marine Biologist” is a very rarely used title, it is often used to refer to a broad range of career paths. Because of this, it is entirely possible for someone with a completely unrelated job title to be considered a Marine Biologist, like a chemist, if that person was assigned to study something in the ocean.
A large chunk of Marine Biology jobs are focused not directly on the plants, animals, and environments found within Earth’s oceans, but more the impact that humans have upon them. The human factor is a very damaging one when it comes to the preservation of ecosystems, so there are many different reasons why companies and organizations need to collect data on the human race’s effect on the ocean.
What education is necessary?
The United State’s Bureau of Labor Statistics says that in order to be considered for an average Marine Biologist salary job, you will need at least a bachelor’s degree in either marine science or biological science. Due to the fact that there are so many things to study in the ocean, there countless different career paths you can take, so specializing in one particular area of study is not uncommon.
Some of the more commonly taken degree programs by aspiring marine biologists include marine science, marine biology, zoology, fisheries technology, and oceanography. There are also some general courses almost every marine biologist will have to take, including basics like chemistry, geology, technology, English, and biology.
Working as a Marine Biologist
Because there is are so many types of jobs that qualify as marine biology, you could work in anything from a small aquarium at a zoo to diving deep down in the middle of the ocean to collect various samples to analyze back in a laboratory. Most of the research based marine biologist positions will require a doctorates, but unless you want to research, a bachelor’s will do just fine.
You will undoubtedly be using various pieces of equipment when performing your job, including special containers and nets, high definition cameras, and diving machines that you can remotely control from the safety of a boat on the surface.
Marine Biologist salary
Unlike traditional job title salary averages, the Marine Biologist salary range is gigantic, because of the vast amount of jobs that fit under the marine biologist monicker. It spans anywhere from $40,000 to $90,000 to begin with. The reason for this is because while most bachelor’s degree marine biology jobs already have a huge salary range, the fact that a doctoral degree can be factored is why its such a huge salary range.
Most marine biologists love the water and the animals in it, and have at least a little interest in them. If that passion isn’t anywhere inside of you, you should probably consider another career choice, but if you happen to like the things marine biologists do, this could be your dream job!