What are the pros and cons of being a marine biologist?

Exciting career opportunities abound for marine biologists in zoos, aquariums, nature centers, schools and research labs. Immersing yourself in the study of saltwater biomes can be a fascinating career. Some drawbacks may include competition for good jobs and potential safety risks when working at sea.

What are pros of being a marine biologist?

Marine biologists can expect to receive medical benefits, paid vacations, sick days, 401k or other retirement savings plan. They may also receive bonuses or other types of benefits depending on their employer.

Is being a marine biologist worth it?

Most marine biologists do their jobs because they love the work. It is a benefit in itself, even though compared to some other jobs, they don't make a lot of money, and the work is not always steady.

What is stressful about being a marine biologist?

However, field work does require physical demands, especially if you are diving, lugging heavy equipment, and spending long hours on boats or in the water.

Does a marine biologist have to swim?

Many roles are lab or office based and field work frequently involves surveys which are boat based or on the shoreline. You actually don't even need to know how to swim!

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What do marine biologists wear?

Being a marine biologist requires you to not only work with animals but also to do lots of research and lab work. Marine Biologists can wear shirts, shorts and sandals when they arent wearing wet suits to SCUBA dive.

Does marine biology require math?

Nearly all college curricula for marine biology majors require at least Calculus 1, and some require Calculus 2 as well. Most colleges first require the successful completion of algebra, trigonometry, and sometimes, elementary analysis -- also known as precalculus -- in order to enroll in calculus.

What are the cons of a marine biologist?

Immersing yourself in the study of saltwater biomes can be a fascinating career. Some drawbacks may include competition for good jobs and potential safety risks when working at sea. Job security can also be a concern during an economic downturn when government grants that fund scientific research are cut.

What risks do marine biologists face?

Marine and freshwater scientists are potentially exposed to a wide variety of occupational hazards. Depending on the focus of their research, risks may include animal attacks, physiological stresses, exposure to toxins and carcinogens, and dangerous environmental conditions.

Is marine biology a fun job?

Marine biologist jobs considered more "fun" (i.e., with more time in the field) may pay less than others as they are often entry-level technician positions that are paid by the hour. Jobs that entail increased responsibility will likely mean that you'll be spending more time inside working at a computer.

How happy are marine biologists?

At CareerExplorer, we conduct an ongoing survey with millions of people and ask them how satisfied they are with their careers. As it turns out, marine biologists rate their career happiness 4.1 out of 5 stars which puts them in the top 7% of careers.

Is marine biology boring?

Marine biology isn't always exciting dives and close encounters with deep sea creatures. There is, at times, boring administrative work to complete. Although office hours are fairly standard, time spent in the field conducting primary research can be long and tedious.

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What are the benefits of being a marine?

Why did you choose marine biology?

Why did I choose Marine Biology: I love everything about the ocean, specifically it's biodiversity and marine turtles! About my college education: I learned a lot from the simplest biological theories up to the mind-breaking molecular language of science, just like a typical Biology major.

How many hours does a marine biologist work a day?

Most marine biologists work regular hours in a laboratory, nine to 10 hours a day, 40 to 50 hours a week. They use electron microscopes, computers and other specialized equipment to study specimens. Many marine biologists also do fieldwork.

Is marine biology hard?

It is a long and arduous journey to becoming a respectable marine biologist. In order to take up a marine biologist career, one needs to choose subjects such as mathematics, physics, and chemistry and of course – biology during your undergrad years.

Do marine biologists travel?

One thing that is common across this field is that marine biologists travel a lot. Travel is required for attending conferences, to remote research locations if your work is based on field research and any trips that may be a part of a course curriculum if you are teaching field-based courses.

Do marine biologists work alone?

Scientists rarely work alone, and marine biology is no different. Thus, these professionals must be able to work as part of a team and communicate with all team members to have a coordinated effort in their work.

Is Marine Science a good career?

A lot of marine scientists will tell you that they work in this field out of sheer passion and a love for the sea rather than a huge salary. That being said, the career prospects are very good in some of the marine science fields, such as marine engineering and marine geology, which offer higher salaries.

Can you make a lot of money as a marine biologist?

Salary Ranges for Marine Biologists

The salaries of Marine Biologists in the US range from $13,292 to $356,999 , with a median salary of $64,435 . The middle 57% of Marine Biologists makes between $64,439 and $161,815, with the top 86% making $356,999.

How many years do you have to go to college for marine biology?

While a master's degree takes two to three years to complete, a PhD program takes approximately six years. A marine biologist who holds a PhD is an expert in the field and can lead other teams to conduct research in their field of study.

What GPA do you need to be a marine biologist?

You need someone on the inside, your potential advisor, pulling you in. If you have a faculty member that wants you to work with them, you likely will be, as long you meet the required admission standards (these vary but generally GPA > 3.0; GRE scores > 70% in all areas as a minimum).

How do I prepare for marine biology?

To prepare for a marine biology degree, you must have a strong background in all of your science courses. Taking the standard courses in biology, chemistry, physics and math in high school will give you the foundation you need for the introductory version of these courses at the college level.