Intelligence Brief Sciences Sector
Marine Biology
Bachelor's · 4 years
D+
Scorecard
- $66,350
- Median salary
- 5%
- Projected growth
- 41/100
- Difficulty
- 4
- Career paths
AI Resilience 62
Overall Score 44
CollegeRanker Degree Outlook Score™
42
out of 100 · C
Mixed Outlook
Composite of earnings, projected growth, demand gap, AI resilience, career breadth, and remote flexibility — CollegeRanker's proprietary degree outlook model.
Supply vs Demand
BalancedMarket Demand48
Graduate Supply52
Supply and demand roughly aligned — projected 5% occupational growth (as fast as average).
Salary Trajectory
~1.8%/yrModeled from BLS median wage and occupational growth. Dashed bars are forecast. Illustrative, not a guarantee.
Where Graduates Work
Common Employers
- Pfizer
- Merck
- Genentech
- National Labs
- Thermo Fisher
- Regeneron
Representative employers that commonly hire Sciences graduates — illustrative of where graduates concentrate, not a guarantee.
Industry Mix
- Pharma & Biotech 33%
- Research & Labs 24%
- Healthcare 16%
- Government 14%
- Other 13%
Estimated distribution of Sciences graduates across hiring industries.
Executive Summary
- Marine Biology scores 44/100 (D+), reflecting a challenging profile among bachelor's programs.
- Median salary of $66,350 reflects moderate earning potential.
- Projected growth of 5% is below the national average.
- AI resilience score of 62 indicates moderate disruption risk across associated careers.
Marine Biology scores 44/100 — D+. The strongest dimension is remote potential (35/100), followed by salary (33/100). The biggest challenge: growth (18/100).
Research Insights
- At Risk Future-proof
Marine Biology faces headwinds for long-term value (43/100). Projected growth of 5% is below average. Graduates should develop skills that complement, not compete with, AI-driven workflows.
Score 43 /100 - Limited ROI
Marine Biology offers a challenging ROI profile (39/100). Median earnings of $66,350 are below many peers.
Score 39 /100 - Narrow Career Breadth
Marine Biology leads to a focused set of career paths (40/100). With 4 primary career trajectories, graduates benefit from clear direction but have less flexibility to pivot.
Score 40 /100
Decision Intelligence
Marine Biology presents a more complex risk/reward profile. Outcomes are less predictable and depend heavily on specific career targeting and graduate school plans.
Who Benefits Most
Students who value career stability and meet the academic prerequisites. Students who pair this degree with internships and networking outperform peers. The moderate AI risk makes it important to specialize.
Who Should Think Twice
Individuals who are not passionate about marine ecosystems or those seeking immediate high salaries may find this degree unsatisfying. Additionally, those averse to fieldwork or working in potentially remote locations may struggle to find fulfillment in this path.
Student Archetypes
- The Passionate Environmentalist Recommended
This student has a deep-seated interest in marine ecosystems and is motivated by conservation efforts. They are likely to be involved in volunteer work related to marine issues.
Economic Importance
Marine Biology plays a critical role in environmental conservation, fisheries management, and marine resource utilization. Industries such as aquaculture, environmental consulting, and academic research depend heavily on the expertise of marine biologists to address ecological challenges and promote sustainable practices.
Scorecard Analysis
Our proprietary scorecard evaluates degrees across five dimensions from BLS wage and growth data, O*NET work context, and standard education requirements.
Below-average earning
Below-average growth
Moderate barrier
Primarily in-person
Less competitive
Difficulty Score
41/100
Composite reflecting the combined demands of salary, growth, barrier, remote compatibility, and competition.
AI Resilience Assessment
Automation risk for careers linked to this degree.
Marine Biology faces moderate AI disruption risk (62/100). While AI will automate routine components within many associated careers, core responsibilities still require human oversight and strategic thinking. Upskilling in AI collaboration tools is recommended.
- Domain expertise from this degree provides some protection against full automation.
- AI can handle routine reporting, data aggregation, and first-pass analysis in many associated careers.
- Risk factor: entry-level roles in fields linked to this degree may face headcount reduction as AI handles more data processing.
Intelligence Deep Dive
-
Reality Check
Despite its appeal, marine biology is a competitive field with limited job openings, particularly in research roles. Many positions require advanced degrees, which can delay entry into the workforce and increase debt levels.
-
Hiring Market Signal
The hiring market for marine biology graduates is stable but competitive, with opportunities primarily in government agencies, nonprofits, and research institutions. Job seekers should focus on gaining relevant experience through internships and networking within the industry to enhance their employability.
-
Risk Factors
- High student debt due to low starting salaries
- Saturation in certain geographic job markets
- Limited job openings in academia and research
- Dependency on government and grant funding
- Potential for automation in data collection roles
-
ROI Timeline
Typically, it may take 5-10 years to fully recoup the investment in a marine biology degree, depending on initial salary and career advancement. Those with higher debt loads or who enter lower-paying positions may experience longer timelines.
What You'll Study
The curriculum combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills, emphasizing marine ecology and conservation. Students gain hands-on experience through courses like Scuba Diving and Field Methods, preparing them for real-world challenges in marine environments.
Throughout the program, students will cover topics such as marine ecology, oceanography, and marine conservation. The curriculum typically includes rigorous coursework in biology, chemistry, and physics, combined with practical lab sessions and field studies. Students may face challenges with advanced scientific concepts and the necessity for strong quantitative skills.
Internships and research projects are often a key component, providing opportunities to work alongside professionals in marine research and conservation. This practical experience is crucial for understanding real-world applications of marine biology and for building a professional network in the field.
Typical Curriculum
- Marine Ecology
- Oceanography
- Ichthyology
- Marine Invertebrates
- Conservation Biology
- Scuba Diving
- Field Methods
- Senior Research
Career Pipeline
From entry to executive.
Entry-Level
- Marine Research Assistant
- Wildlife Technician
- Aquarium Educator
- Environmental Science Technician
- Field Researcher
Mid-Career
- Marine Biologist
- Wildlife Biologist
- Environmental Consultant
- Conservation Officer
- Aquarium Manager
Advanced
- Director of Marine Programs
- Senior Research Scientist
- Marine Policy Analyst
Pipeline Insight
Graduates typically begin in entry-level positions that provide foundational experience in fieldwork or research. Those who advance often pursue further education or specialized certifications, enhancing their expertise and marketability.
Career Outcomes
Graduates with a Bachelor's in Marine Biology often pursue careers as Marine Biologists, Wildlife Biologists, Environmental Consultants, or Aquarium Directors. With a projected job growth of 5%, opportunities are expected to remain stable, driven by increasing environmental awareness and the need for sustainable practices in marine resource management. The median salary for marine biology professionals is around $66,350, with potential for growth as one gains experience.
- Marine Biologist
- Wildlife Biologist
- Environmental Consultant
- Aquarium Director
Compensation Context
The median salary of $66,350 reflects the specialized knowledge required in marine biology, but also the competition within the field. Geographic factors and the availability of funding for research and conservation can lead to salary variations, with coastal regions often offering higher pay due to demand.
Alternative Routes
Similar or competing pathways students consider alongside Marine Biology:
- Environmental Science
- Biology
- Marine Conservation Certificate
- Aquatic Biology
- Wildlife Biology
Getting In & Timeline
Typical time to complete: 4 years full-time
- High school diploma or equivalent, coursework in biology and chemistry, possibly standardized test scores (ACT/SAT)
Advice
Focus on gaining relevant experience through internships and networking to improve your job prospects post-graduation.
Is This Degree Worth It?
This degree can pay off, especially for those who secure positions in government or nonprofit sectors focused on conservation, where salaries can be competitive. However, it may not be worth it for those seeking high-paying corporate roles or who are unwilling to pursue further education for advancement.
Schools With Strong Outcomes in Sciences
Ranked by median graduate earnings 10 years after enrollment. Schools grouped into tiers by outcome level.
Top Tier2schools
Strong Outcomes2schools
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Methodology & Data Sources
Every score, grade, and verdict on this page is built from a consistent framework designed to answer one question: what is the expected return on this degree?
Scorecard dimensions. We evaluate programs on five proprietary axes — Salary, Job Growth, Education Barrier, Remote/Online Compatibility, and Competition — each normalized to a 0–100 scale. The Overall Score is a weighted composite: salary (30%), job growth (20%), AI resilience (15%), barrier proximity (15%), competition inverse (10%), and career breadth (10%). Letter grades follow a standard scale from A+ (95+) down to F.
AI Resilience. Measures automation risk across the degree's associated career pathways. Each degree receives a category-level baseline adjusted upward for AI-adjacent fields (e.g., machine learning, computer science) and downward for fields with higher routine-task exposure. The score represents the degree's resistance to labor-market disruption, not a prediction of elimination.
Verdict scores. Future-Proof, ROI, and Career Breadth are secondary composites weighting AI resilience, growth, salary, barrier, and career count to answer specific decision questions: is this career durable (Future-Proof), financially worthwhile (ROI), and flexible (Career Breadth)?
Data sources. Salary and growth figures are drawn from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (O*NET) and the Occupational Outlook Handbook (2023–2033 projections). Education requirement data and work context scores come from O*NET 28.2. School-level earnings data is sourced from the Opportunity Insights Economic Tracker (median earnings 10 years after enrollment, based on federal tax records). Program rankings and school lists reflect CollegeRanker's proprietary classification and filtering methodology.
This page is built on disclosed, reproducible data. No affiliate bias, no survey-based rankings, no undisclosed weighting.
Data Behind This Page Updated 2025
Source datasets
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2023–2033 projections
- O*NET 28.2 — education requirements and work-context data
- Opportunity Insights — earnings 10 years after enrollment (federal tax records)
Methodology
Degrees are scored on five normalized axes — salary (30%), job growth (20%), AI resilience (15%), education barrier (15%), and competition (10%), plus career breadth (10%) — each on a 0–100 scale.
See the full methodology and weights →Confidence notes
- Salary and growth figures come from federal Bureau of Labor Statistics data — administrative wage records and official projections, not surveys.
- AI-resilience scores are computed from O*NET task and work-context data, applied consistently across every program.
- Every measure is normalized to a fixed 0–100 scale, so degrees are directly comparable.
Limitations
- BLS wage data reflect national medians; actual pay varies widely by region, employer, and experience.
- Job growth is a 2023–2033 projection, not a guarantee — labor markets shift with technology and the economy.
- AI-resilience is a directional estimate of automation exposure, not a prediction about any specific role.
- Figures describe typical outcomes for the field, not a promise for any individual graduate.
