Marine Biology questions...?

Question

I've been thinking about going into Marine Biology and was wondering what kind of money it makes and the average years of college required. =]

Answer 1

You should start with at least a B.S. then consider continuing on to graduate school.  Stress sciences and math.  Starting pay usually stinks, running from about 20k to 25k annually, but if you can hang in there, the pay increases considerably.

Answer 2

It depends on what you mean by marine biology.  Lots of people think that dolphin trainers and whale rescuers are marine biologists, but they aren't.

If you're talking about becoming a scientist who studies biology, physiology, ecology, evolution, etc. of marine organisms, primarily invertebrates and algae, then you will need a minimum of an MS degree and most likely a PhD.  However, you absolutely do not need a BS in marine biology.  Any life science degree at the undergraduate level will prepare you well for marine biology graduate studies.  Most importantly, you should be sure to take as much chemistry and physics as you can because these are essential for a good understanding of how organisms live in the marine system.

Pay is not great, especially considering how much you often end up owing in student loans.  If you work for a college or university you generally start out in the $35,000-$48,000 range depending on what type of institution and your experience.  You can also get work with government agencies like NOAA or marine resource depts.  Starting pay is similar there.