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The differences between wildlife biologists and marine biologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a wildlife biologist and a marine biologist. Additionally, a marine biologist has an average salary of $54,008, which is higher than the $51,084 average annual salary of a wildlife biologist.
The top three skills for a wildlife biologist include USDA, wildlife species and GIS. The most important skills for a marine biologist are ecology, data analysis, and water quality.
| Wildlife Biologist | Marine Biologist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,084 | $54,008 |
| Hourly rate | $24.56 | $25.97 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 5,376 | 17,273 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A wildlife biologist specializes in studying and observing animals and plants in their habitats, mainly for research and scientific purposes. Their responsibilities typically revolve around gathering samples and data, performing analysis through various laboratory and scientific processes, conducting experiments, and creating reports and presentations. A wildlife biologist may use their findings to develop programs and strategies, release research papers, contribute to publications, and promote public awareness. Furthermore, a wildlife biologist may coordinate with other scientists, reviewing findings for accurate reports.
A marine biologist primarily conducts research projects. The responsibilities of this position are collecting research specimens at sea, compiling data on the field of research being carried out, conducting laboratory experiments or tests, planning experiments that will be conducted, interpreting data, using tracking technology, and preparing thorough reports and research papers. They may also recommend other industrial practices that will minimize negative effects on the marine life.
Wildlife biologists and marine biologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Wildlife Biologist | Marine Biologist | |
| Average salary | $51,084 | $54,008 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $75,000 | Between $34,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | - |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | - |
| Best paying company | Idaho National Lab | - |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a wildlife biologist and a marine biologist in terms of educational background:
| Wildlife Biologist | Marine Biologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Biology | Ecology, Population Biology, And Epidemiology |
| Most common college | University of California - Davis | University of California - Davis |
Here are the differences between wildlife biologists' and marine biologists' demographics:
| Wildlife Biologist | Marine Biologist | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.8% Female, 37.2% | Male, 54.1% Female, 45.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 72.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 10.3% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |