💡 Why it matters: The oceans produce much of our oxygen and food, and they are changing fast. Scientists who understand sea life help protect it. Jobs are limited, so it is a competitive field.
🌍 Around the world
- United States: Jobs are projected to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as average (US Bureau of Labor Statistics). (for zoologists and wildlife biologists).
💰 What it can pay
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Starting out
- ₦500k – ₦1.5M
- Mid-career
- ₦1.5M – ₦4M
- Senior
- ₦4M – ₦9M
≈ ₦125k – ₦333k a month mid-career. Indicative estimate by Incusim.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Typical starter to experienced salary (profile: Biologist; marine biologists work under this job). National Careers Service, 2026
🇺🇸 United States
Closest US category: Zoologists and wildlife biologists. Median pay; low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
🇨🇦 Canada
Marine biologist. Hourly wage low/median/high x 2,080 hours. Job Bank (Government of Canada), 2023-2024
Yearly pay before tax. UK, US and Canada figures come from the official sources named on each card. Nigeria has no official salary survey, so those are our indicative estimates. Real pay depends on the employer, the place, your skills and experience.
🛠️ What you actually do
- Study fish, corals, whales and other sea life
- Collect samples from boats, shores and reefs
- Analyse data in a lab or on a computer
- Track how pollution and warming affect the ocean
- Write reports and share findings with the public
⚡ Skills you'll need
- Observation
- Biology knowledge
- Data analysis
- Teamwork
- Patience
Get ready at school
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Research institutes working on coastal waters
- Scuba diving certificates and boat licences help for fieldwork
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Volunteer on conservation or research projects
- Boat handling and scuba diving certificates help for fieldwork
🇺🇸 United States
- Internships and volunteer work with aquariums or research centres
- Scuba diving certificates and boat licences help for fieldwork
🇨🇦 Canada
- Co-op placements with fisheries, aquariums or research stations
- Scuba diving certificates and boat licences help for fieldwork
🗺️ Your path to this career
- 1Study Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics at school
- 2Take a biology or marine science degree
- 3Volunteer or intern on a research or conservation project
- 4Do a master's degree or PhD in a marine topic
- 5Work in research, conservation or government agencies
⏰ A day in the life
You spend the morning on a small boat, collecting water samples and counting fish on a reef. Back in the lab you check samples under a microscope and enter your results. Some days are spent at a desk writing up what you found.