Careers in Animal Biology

Animal biology professionals include biological scientists, mammalogists and ecologists who may work with animals or study their environments. These specialists could educate students, train animals or conduct research. At minimum, a bachelor's degree in a discipline such as animal biology, zoology or marine biology is necessary. Doctoral degrees are required for higher-level research positions.

Source: *United States Bureau of Labor Statistics

Career Options

Marine biology, mammalogy and ecology are some career fields under the umbrella of animal biology. For students who fulfill the educational requirements, marine biologist, mammalogist and ecologist are among the career choices.

Marine Biologist

Marine biologists study organisms that live in salt water. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that marine biologists' work focuses mostly on molecular biology, which is the study of the biochemical processes happening inside living cells (www.bls.gov). Many specialties exist within the marine biology field, and marine biologists can choose to study a single species, ecosystem, behavior or organism. Some branches of marine biology include marine biotechnology and molecular biology. Marine biotechnologists develop new technologies based on marine organisms, while molecular biologists identify microorganisms, study diseases and develop antibodies. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs for biochemists and biophysicists were expected to expand at a rate of 19% between 2012 and 2022. Mean annual salaries for these professionals were $91, 640 as of May 2013.