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Marine biologist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a marine biologist. Marine biologists usually study ecology, population biology, and epidemiology, biology, or environmental science. 81% of marine biologists hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 223 real marine biologist resumes to see exactly what marine biologist education sections show.
The most common colleges for marine biologists are the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
There are also many online marine biologist courses to help get the education required to be a marine biologist.
What education do you need to become a marine biologist?
What degree do you need to be a marine biologist?
- Bachelor's, 81%
- Master's, 13%
- Associate, 3%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a marine biologist?
- Biology, 25%
- Marine Sciences, 8%
- Other Majors, 25%
Most common colleges for marine biologists
| Marine biologist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of North Carolina at Wilmington | 10.17% |
| University of Rhode Island | 8.47% |
| Texas A&M University | 6.78% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 6.78% |
| Coastal Carolina University | 6.78% |
Best majors for marine biologists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ecology, Population Biology, And Epidemiology | 33.9% |
| 2 | Biology | 25.5% |
| 3 | Environmental Science | 8.5% |
| 4 | Marine Sciences | 7.9% |
| 5 | Zoology | 6.7% |
Best colleges for marine biologists
The best colleges for marine biologists are Duke University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.
A marine biologist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for marine biologists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become marine biologists.
1. University of California - Davis
Davis, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,402
Enrollment
30,698
2. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
6. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
8. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
9. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
10. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
20 best online courses for marine biologists
Advertising disclosure
1. Marine Biology
This course is about life in the oceans, from the sunlit surface to the inky depths, from microscopic phytoplankton to the great blue whale. The ocean is among the world’s most inhospitable environments for scientific research, which is why we know as much about the surface of the moon as we do the bottom of the sea. This course uncovers the evolutionary history of marine organisms, adaptations to life in water, the behavior and functional morphology of sea animals, interactions between...
2. Large Marine Ecosystems: Assessment and Management
Focusing on the Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) of the world, this course will introduce the concept and practice of ecosystem-based management. LMEs occupy areas of coastal ocean at least 200 000 km² or greater in size. These coastal waters produce 12.6 trillion USD in ecosystem goods and services annually and are vitally important for billions of people around the globe. Because LMEs are bounded by ocean features and are globally linked, management of human activities needs to occur in an...
3. The Complete MARINE BIOLOGY 101 Course, Beginner to Advanced
The NEW course with everything you need on Marine Biology - 2021 Online CERTIFICATE - Taught by a real marine biologist!...
4. Health Data 101
An Introduction to Health Data for data analysts...
5. Paleontology: Ancient Marine Reptiles
Paleontology: Ancient Marine Reptiles is a four-lesson course teaching a comprehensive overview of the evolutionary changes that occur when air-breathing terrestrial animals return to water. This course examines the diversity, adaptations, convergence, and phylogenetic relationships of extinct marine reptiles. Students will explore three major groups of marine reptiles: ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and mosasaurs. Watch a preview of the course here:...
6. Health for All Through Primary Health Care
This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...
7. Core Spatial Data Analysis: Introductory GIS with R and QGIS
Become Proficient In Spatial Data Analysis Using R & QGIS By Working On A Real Project - Get A Job In Spatial Data!...
8. Fundamentals of Data Analysis for Big Data
This course prepares participants to begin running data analysis on databases...
9. Introduction to Biology: Ecology, Evolution, & Biodiversity
In this 3-course specialization, you will learn to see nature the way a biologist does. You will gain an understanding and appreciation for the incredible diversity of life and the interdependence of all living things. You will explore what we know about the origins of life and how biologists have advanced the science of evolution since Charles Darwin's lifetime, as well as the many applications of evolutionary biology to our everyday lives; you will examine the characteristics, functions,...
10. The Business of Health Care
This Specialization was designed to help you keep pace with the rapidly changing world of health and health care. Through partnership with Wharton and Penn Medicine, you’ll learn from experts in business acumen, health care management, and health care policy to develop the skills you’ll need to successfully navigate the quickly evolving landscape of this fast-growing field.* By the end of this specialization, you will have a strong foundational understanding of the American health care system,...
11. Statistics / Data Analysis: Survey Data and Likert Scales
How to Process Survey Data and Analyze Likert Scales In SPSS...
12. Applied Statistical Modeling for Data Analysis in R
Your Complete Guide to Statistical Data Analysis and Visualization For Practical Applications in R...
13. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care
This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...
14. Health Care IT: Challenges and Opportunities
A strong argument can be made that the health care field is one of the most information-intensive sectors in the U.S. economy and avoidance of the rapid advances in information technology is no longer an option. Consequently, the study of health care information technology and systems has become central to health care delivery effectiveness. This course covers the modern application of information technology that is critical to supporting the vision and operational knowledge of the health care...
15. Providing Trauma-Informed Care
Exploring psychological trauma and how to provide care and compassion to trauma survivors...
16. Complete Data Wrangling & Data Visualisation With Python
Learn to Preprocess, Wrangle and Visualise Data For Practical Data Science Applications in Python...
17. Total Data Quality
This specialization aims to explore the Total Data Quality framework in depth and provide learners with more information about the detailed evaluation of total data quality that needs to happen prior to data analysis. The goal is for learners to incorporate evaluations of data quality into their process as a critical component for all projects. We sincerely hope to disseminate knowledge about total data quality to all learners, such as data scientists and quantitative analysts, who have not had...
18. Data Quality Fundamentals
Understand key concepts, principles and terminology related to Data Quality...
19. Data Analysis with Pandas and Python
Analyze data quickly and easily with Python's powerful pandas library! All datasets included --- beginners welcome!...
20. Statistics for Data Science and Business Analysis
Statistics you need in the office: Descriptive & Inferential statistics, Hypothesis testing, Regression analysis...
Top 10 most affordable universities for marine biologists
The most affordable schools for marine biologists are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for marine biologists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for marine biologists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
7. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
8. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
9. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
10. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for marine biologists
The hardest universities for marine biologists to get into are Duke University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for marine biologists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for marine biologists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,448
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for marine biologists
The easiest schools for marine biologists to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, curry college, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a marine biologist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for marine biologists.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
6. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
7. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
8. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
9. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
10. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
Average marine biologist salary by education level
| Marine biologist education level | Marine biologist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $56,333 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $51,036 |
| Doctorate Degree | $65,927 |
Marine biologist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025