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How hard is marine biology ?

What types of jobs can I get from majoring in marine biology. What colleges should I go to in South Carolina

career science biology animals marine-biology marine oceanography ocean sealife
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Jessica’s Answer

As a science field, marine biology is difficult to get into but very rewarding and I can't imagine not working with animals. I have been in this field since I was 16 when i started volunteering and never looked back. Most careers around marine biology in terms of public zoos and aquariums will at a minimum require a 4 year biology degree, SCUBA certification and some sort of related volunteer or internship experience. Different jobs would be research, animal care in public or private settings, government wildlife biologists, fish and game, aquaculture or aquariums and Zoo's. Any colleges that offer marine biology, aquatic biology, zoology or biology degrees will be a good place to start. If you are unsure of your career plan, it makes financial sense to start at a community college for requirement courses until you decide which univeristy to go to. In terms of financial security I would say animal care as a whole is an underpaid field but many facilities are working to change that. With marine biology you are not likely to work a 9-5 job, have regular weekends or holidays off but if you can accept and work with that, the job will always have incredible moments. Working with endangered or threatened species, providing amazing animal husbandry and good welfare and creating habitats where animals thrive and can be ambassadors for their species is a difficult, challenging and wonderful career.
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Mack’s Answer

Hey Irene,

If you enjoy the sciences and math, and you do well in those subjects in school, Marine Biology shouldn't be too tough for you!

Some South Carolina schools that come to mind immediately for Marine Biology are Coastal Carolina, College of Charleston, and USC Beaufort. Other schools would have the program and Winthrop University here in Rock Hill has a Biology Department that offers a concentration in Conservation Biology. Check out these school's webpages:
https://www.coastal.edu/marine/bsmarinescience/
https://cofc.edu/academics/majorsandminors/marine-biology.php
https://academics.uscb.edu/natural-sciences/marine-biology/
https://www.winthrop.edu/cas/biology/

My first thought for a career in Marine Biology would be working in the area of conservation but the site at Coastal Carolina lists "marine scientist for federal, state, and local government and private industry; environmental educator with aquariums, schools, parks, and tourism industry; teacher; scientific technician; aquaculturist; aquarist/trainer; and land-use resource planner."

What appeals to me with this degree is that you would deal with science but probably much more likely to be working outside in the "lab of nature" instead of inside with test tubes!

Good luck!
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