Best Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography Programs

If you’re an aspiring scientist who loves the ocean, you may want to consider a bachelor’s in marine biology or biological oceanography. In these scientific disciplines, students study the seas, the organisms that live in them, and how different biological and ecological factors impact ocean ecosystems. Marine biology and biological oceanography students can go on to pursue careers in research, conservation, environmental consultancy, and more.

As with many bachelor’s degree programs, the time it takes to earn a degree in marine biology or biological oceanography and the cost of your education varies depending on a few different factors. Full-time programs typically take four years to complete. The cost depends on whether you pay in-state or out-of-state tuition, win scholarships, and more. Part-time or partially online programs

Due to fieldwork requirements, a marine biology and biological oceanography degree cannot be completed fully online. However, part-time or partially online programs can provide more flexibility and allow you to potentially save money on living expenses.

Rankings compiled by the BestColleges Ranking Team

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Each year, the BestColleges Ranking Team evaluates hundreds of programs to produce our annual Best Bachelor’s in Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography ranking. In 2022, the team sourced the most recent data available from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and College Navigator, both of which are hosted by the National Center for Education Statistics. We identified 77 schools that qualify for our ranking list based on the following criteria.

To ensure the accuracy and quality of our final ranked list, the ranking team reviewed each qualifying school to ensure it met the criteria for our ranking, and then applied our proprietary ranking methodology to identify the best schools offering this program in the nation. Each school is ranked based on a formula measuring academic factors (60%) and affordability (40%).

The BestColleges Ranking Team is made up of contributors from our data science and product management teams. These contributors operate independently from the editorial team. All BestColleges school rankings are produced by the ranking team and are free of editorial influence. Read our Editorial Policy and Standards to learn more.

Whether or not a bachelor’s degree in marine biology and biological oceanography is “worth it” to you is a personal decision.

Remember that marine biology is not traditionally offered as an online course due to lab and fieldwork requirements. If you are passionate about the subject and will be able to complete the degree in four years or less, the opportunities offered by a marine biology and biological oceanography degree will likely be worth it to you.

However, if you are less interested in the subject, and the financial burden outweighs the benefits of the degree, you may want to consider other majors.

Professionals with degrees in marine biology and biological oceanography have access to many career paths. Graduates can go on to become biologists working with marine life or scientists in labs seeking new information about the oceans and the creatures that live there.

Many marine biology graduates who are passionate about conservation might be interested in careers with conservation charities and nonprofits. They can also work as environmental consultants helping companies make choices that do the least harm to marine life. With further education, graduates may also go on to careers in business, medicine, and more.

Graduates of marine biology and biological oceanography undergraduate programs may be interested in continuing their education at the postgraduate level.Many marine biology and biological oceanography graduates pursuing careers in research go on to MS and Ph.D. programs immediately after obtaining their undergraduate degrees.

However, for those who do not want to immediately pursue postgrad education, there are many job opportunities that offer field training. Many students also opt to work for a few years after finishing their undergraduate degrees before returning to grad school.

Given the wide variety of different careers available to graduates with a bachelor’s degree in marine biology and biological oceanography, salaries vary significantly. According to Payscale, marine biologists made an average salary of $52,030 per year in May 2022.

However, that figure varies depending on your location and experience level, with the highest-paid marine biologists making up to $97,000 per year.

While the average marine biologist made $52,030 per year as of May 2022, according to Payscale, other marine biology and biological oceanography careers can pay more or less. Marine engineers earned an average of $79,980 per year, according to Payscale, with more experienced marine engineers making salaries over six figures.

If you want to maximize your earning potential after graduation, make sure to do your research about different marine biology career paths and their average starting salaries.

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