Marine biologist demographics and statistics in the US
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Marine biologist demographics by:
Marine biologist gender statistics
45.9% of marine biologists are women and 54.1% of marine biologists are men.
- Male, 54.1%
- Female, 45.9%
Marine biologist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 54.1% |
| Female | 45.9% |
Marine biologist gender pay gap
Women earn $1.02 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$57,443
Female income
$58,356
Marine biologist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in marine biologist positions over time. Currently, 45.9% of marine biologists are female.
Marine biologist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 57.07% | 42.93% |
| 2011 | 56.33% | 43.67% |
| 2012 | 61.86% | 38.14% |
| 2013 | 56.51% | 43.49% |
| 2014 | 54.78% | 45.22% |
| 2015 | 59.02% | 40.98% |
| 2016 | 57.74% | 42.26% |
| 2017 | 60.91% | 39.09% |
| 2018 | 55.13% | 44.87% |
| 2019 | 55.80% | 44.20% |
| 2020 | 55.52% | 44.48% |
| 2021 | 54.05% | 45.95% |
Marine biologist related jobs gender ratio
We compared marine biologists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, procurement forester and field agronomist have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Behaviorist | 18% | 82% |
| Chronic Disease Epidemiologist | 25% | 75% |
| Collector Of Aquarium Specimens | 27% | 73% |
| Marine Biologist | 54% | 46% |
| Forestry Consultant | 93% | 7% |
| Field Agronomist | 94% | 6% |
| Procurement Forester | 95% | 5% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Marine biologist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among marine biologists is White, which makes up 71.5% of all marine biologists. Comparatively, 10.3% of marine biologists are Asian and 8.9% of marine biologists are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 71.5%
- Asian, 10.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 8.9%
- Unknown, 5.4%
- Black or African American, 3.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Marine biologist race
| Marine biologist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 71.5% |
| Asian | 10.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.9% |
| Unknown | 5.4% |
| Black or African American | 3.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Marine biologist race and ethnicity over time
See how marine biologist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Marine biologist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.18% | 3.67% | 11.65% | 8.01% |
| 2011 | 77.65% | 3.67% | 9.23% | 6.06% |
| 2012 | 77.44% | 2.17% | 9.78% | 7.63% |
| 2013 | 75.62% | 4.07% | 9.32% | 7.19% |
| 2014 | 75.15% | 3.57% | 10.34% | 7.30% |
| 2015 | 76.36% | 3.19% | 10.50% | 7.15% |
| 2016 | 76.18% | 3.55% | 10.15% | 6.32% |
| 2017 | 73.92% | 3.12% | 11.97% | 7.96% |
| 2018 | 75.23% | 2.85% | 10.30% | 8.16% |
| 2019 | 76.10% | 2.50% | 11.51% | 6.66% |
| 2020 | 71.66% | 3.23% | 9.14% | 9.72% |
| 2021 | 71.51% | 3.16% | 10.28% | 8.94% |
Marine biologist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian marine biologists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White marine biologists have the lowest average salary at $54,584.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $56,121 |
| White | $54,584 |
| Black or African American | $57,831 |
| Asian | $59,920 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $58,919 |
Average marine biologist age
See how the average age of marine biologists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Marine biologist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 36.5 | 35 |
| White | 42 | 37 |
| Black or African American | 35 | |
| Asian | 35 | 37 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 37 |
Marine biologist age breakdown
The average age of marine biologists is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the marine biologist population.
Marine biologist age breakdown
| Marine Biologist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 33% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Marine biologist educational attainment
The most common degree for marine biologists is bachelor's degree, with 81% of marine biologists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 13% and master's degree degree at 3%.
- Bachelor's, 81%
- Master's, 13%
- Associate, 3%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 1%
Marine biologists by degree level
| Marine biologist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 81% |
| Master's | 13% |
| Associate | 3% |
| Doctorate | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
Marine biologist jobs you might like
Marine biologist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, marine biologists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $65,927 annually. With a Master's degree, marine biologists earn a median annual income of $56,333 compared to $51,036 for marine biologists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $56,333 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $51,036 |
| Doctorate Degree | $65,927 |
Marine biologist employment statistics
Most marine biologists work for a private in the education industry.
Company size where marine biologists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where marine biologists work.
Marine biologist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 32% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 8% |
Marine biologist jobs by company type
Employees with the marine biologist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most marine biologists prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Marine biologist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 27% |
| Public | 7% |
| Private | 41% |
| Government | 24% |
Marine biologist jobs by industry
The most common industries for marine biologists are education, government and non profits.
Marine biologist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 22% |
| Government | 16% |
| Non Profits | 12% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Transportation | 6% |
| Technology | 6% |
| Agriculture | 6% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
Marine biologist turnover and employment statistics
Marine biologist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for marine biologists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Marine biologist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Marine biologist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.14% |
| 2011 | 3.66% |
| 2012 | 4.27% |
| 2013 | 3.42% |
| 2014 | 3.31% |
| 2015 | 1.87% |
| 2016 | 3.18% |
| 2017 | 2.44% |
| 2018 | 1.77% |
| 2019 | 1.62% |
| 2020 | 2.69% |
| 2021 | 2.75% |
Average marine biologist tenure
The average marine biologist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 223 marine biologists resumes in Zippia's database.
Marine biologist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 28% |
| 1-2 years | 38% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Marine biologist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of marine biologists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Soil Specialist | 8.40% | 109 |
| Associate Scientist Lead | 8.45% | 44,741 |
| Marine Biologist | 9.74% | - |
| Microbiology Soil Scientist | 19.06% | 42,331 |
Similar marine biologist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Soil Specialist | 8.40% | 109 |
| Associate Scientist Lead | 8.45% | 44,741 |
| Microbiology Soil Scientist | 19.06% | 42,331 |
Foreign languages spoken by marine biologists
The most common foreign language among marine biologists is Spanish at 50.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Portuguese at 16.7% and Malay is the third-most popular at 16.7%.
- Spanish, 50.0%
- Portuguese, 16.7%
- Malay, 16.7%
- French, 16.7%
Marine biologist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 50.0% |
| Portuguese | 16.7% |
| Malay | 16.7% |
| French | 16.7% |