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Marine scientist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a marine scientist. Marine scientists usually study biology, ecology, population biology, and epidemiology, or geology. 82% of marine scientists hold a bachelor's degree, and 7% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 52 real marine scientist resumes to see exactly what marine scientist education sections show.
The most common colleges for marine scientists are the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
There are also many online marine scientist courses to help get the education required to be a marine scientist.
What education do you need to become a marine scientist?
What degree do you need to be a marine scientist?
- Bachelor's, 82%
- Doctorate, 7%
- Master's, 7%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a marine scientist?
Most common colleges for marine scientists
| Marine scientist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts Maritime Academy | 8.70% |
| University of South Alabama | 8.70% |
| College of William and Mary | 8.70% |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 4.35% |
| Le Moyne College | 4.35% |
Best majors for marine scientists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 24.4% |
| 2 | Ecology, Population Biology, And Epidemiology | 17.8% |
| 3 | Geology | 11.1% |
| 4 | Environmental Science | 8.9% |
| 5 | Marine Sciences | 8.9% |
Best colleges for marine scientists
The best colleges for marine scientists are Duke University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.
A marine scientist 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 scientists. 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 scientists.
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 scientists
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. Data Warehouse ETL Testing & Data Quality Management A-Z
ETL Testing and Data Quality Management for beginners with practical exercises and certificate of completion...
4. 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!...
5. Databases for Data Scientists
Whether you are a beginning programmer with an interest in Data Science, a data scientist working closely with content experts, or a software developer seeking to learn about the database layer of the stack this specialization is for you! We focus on the relational database which is the most widely used type of database. Relational databases have dominated the database software marketplace for nearly four decades and form a core, foundational part of software development. In this specialization...
6. 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:...
7. Mastering Construction/Project Management
Mastering Construction-Project Management in less than 10 Hours...
8. Essential Non Technical Skills of Effective Data Scientists
Boost your Data Science Career by developing these crucial Non Technical Skills & become a Successful Data Scientist...
9. Relational Databases for Beginners
In Relational Databases for Beginners, you will learn invaluable information about how data is stored with the MySQL database. This guided project provides hands-on lessons with an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and relational databases to give you the skills to process data. In this guided project, you will learn how to explore the IDE interface, create a Python program using the IDE, create, populate, backup, and restore a database, how to create and populate a table, and how to use...
10. The Data Scientist’s Toolbox
In this course you will get an introduction to the main tools and ideas in the data scientist's toolbox. The course gives an overview of the data, questions, and tools that data analysts and data scientists work with. There are two components to this course. The first is a conceptual introduction to the ideas behind turning data into actionable knowledge. The second is a practical introduction to the tools that will be used in the program like version control, markdown, git, GitHub, R, and...
11. Data Entry Skills: A Complete Data Entry Course from Scratch
A Complete Guide to Data Entry Skills: Learn Data Entry Skills and become a Data Entry Pro & Get a Online Data Entry Job...
12. Data Quality Fundamentals
Understand key concepts, principles and terminology related to Data Quality...
13. Der Werkzeugkasten des Data Scientist
In this course you will get an introduction to the main tools and ideas in the data scientist's toolbox. The course gives an overview of the data, questions, and tools that data analysts and data scientists work with. There are two components to this course. The first is a conceptual introduction to the ideas behind turning data into actionable knowledge. The second is a practical introduction to the tools that will be used in the program like version control, markdown, git, GitHub, R, and...
14. Practical SQL Bootcamp for Data Analysts and Data Scientists
Master One of the Most In-Demand Skills for Data Analysts in 2020!...
15. Agile Crash Course: Agile Project Management; Agile Delivery
Agile Project Management Basics (Scrum) & Agile Project Management Essentials (Scrum). Plus Agile Certification (Scrum)...
16. Data Quality Masterclass - The Complete Course
Learn Data Quality Management from A to Z. This complete guide covers all Data Quality Principles, Techniques and more...
17. 4x1 Data Management/Governance/Security/Ethics Masterclass
You'll learn about data literacy, Data Quality operations, Data Governance policies and Data Security/Privacy controls...
18. Data Entry Course for Beginners
Learn from a Successful Data Entry Professional!...
19. Complete Data Entry Skills Course - Learn Data Entry Skills
Learn Essential Data Entry Skills Now To Enhance Your Career -Word - Excel - Database - Data Entry Jobs...
20. Construction Procurement Management
A course on procurement designed for engineers new to the infrastructure/construction industry...
Top 10 most affordable universities for marine scientists
The most affordable schools for marine scientists 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 scientists 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 scientists.
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 scientists
The hardest universities for marine scientists to get into are Duke University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for marine scientists 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 scientists 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 scientists
The easiest schools for marine scientists 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 scientist 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 scientists.
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 scientist salary by education level
| Marine scientist education level | Marine scientist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $80,504 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $71,743 |
| Doctorate Degree | $96,719 |
Marine scientist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025