Explore Jobs
Find Specific Jobs
Explore Careers
Explore Professions
Best Companies
Explore Companies
Marine Scientist salary
Average marine scientist salary
$76,640
How much does a marine scientist make?
The average marine scientist salary in the United States is $76,640. Marine scientist salaries typically range between $45,000 and $128,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for marine scientists is $36.85 per hour.
Marine scientist salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Marine scientists earn the highest average salary in Alaska.
Where can a Marine Scientist earn more?
Marine Scientist salary estimates from across the web
Average marine scientist salary by state
The highest-paying states for marine scientists are Alaska, California, and West Virginia. The lowest average marine scientist salary states are Michigan, Kansas, and Florida.
- State View
- County View
Highest paying states for marine scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $94,319 | $45.35 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $84,186 | $40.47 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $80,416 | $38.66 |
| 4 | Utah | $81,893 | $39.37 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $79,096 | $38.03 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $80,362 | $38.64 |
| 7 | Oregon | $83,329 | $40.06 |
| 8 | Ohio | $83,906 | $40.34 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $79,652 | $38.29 |
| 10 | California | $92,720 | $44.58 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $78,144 | $37.57 |
| 12 | Idaho | $78,570 | $37.77 |
| 13 | Montana | $76,744 | $36.90 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $73,540 | $35.36 |
| 15 | New York | $80,708 | $38.80 |
| 16 | Delaware | $76,056 | $36.57 |
| 17 | Virginia | $77,782 | $37.40 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $79,580 | $38.26 |
| 19 | Washington | $80,020 | $38.47 |
| 20 | Nevada | $77,367 | $37.20 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $78,291 | $37.64 |
| 22 | Vermont | $74,590 | $35.86 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $73,476 | $35.33 |
| 24 | Maine | $71,694 | $34.47 |
| 25 | Maryland | $74,379 | $35.76 |
| 26 | Missouri | $74,506 | $35.82 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $69,727 | $33.52 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $75,879 | $36.48 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $73,897 | $35.53 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $74,629 | $35.88 |
| 31 | Indiana | $71,530 | $34.39 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $61,323 | $29.48 |
| 33 | Texas | $70,723 | $34.00 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $60,438 | $29.06 |
| 35 | Arizona | $71,259 | $34.26 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $62,949 | $30.26 |
| 37 | Illinois | $66,521 | $31.98 |
| 38 | Colorado | $69,864 | $33.59 |
| 39 | District of Columbia | $73,655 | $35.41 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $65,499 | $31.49 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $58,356 | $28.06 |
| 42 | Iowa | $61,751 | $29.69 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $58,322 | $28.04 |
| 44 | Kansas | $57,429 | $27.61 |
| 45 | Alabama | $60,904 | $29.28 |
| 46 | Florida | $57,061 | $27.43 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $60,198 | $28.94 |
| 48 | Michigan | $58,230 | $28.00 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $48,676 | $23.40 |
| 50 | Georgia | $49,102 | $23.61 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $47,865 | $23.01 |
Highest paying cities for marine scientists
The highest-paying cities for marine scientists are San Jose, CA, Olympia, WA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $99,588 | $47.88 |
| 2 | Olympia, WA | $81,260 | $39.07 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $80,909 | $38.90 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $79,688 | $38.31 |
| 5 | Columbia, MD | $74,334 | $35.74 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $73,730 | $35.45 |
| 7 | Kailua, HI | $61,326 | $29.48 |
| 8 | Raleigh, NC | $60,060 | $28.88 |
| 9 | Charleston, SC | $58,176 | $27.97 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $48,906 | $23.51 |
Marine Scientist salary details
A marine scientist's salary ranges from $45,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $128,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a marine scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $128,000 | $10,667 | $62 |
| 75th Percentile | $100,000 | $8,333 | $48 |
| Average | $76,640 | $6,387 | $37 |
| 25th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| 10th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
Highest paying marine scientist jobs
The highest paying types of marine scientists are senior scientist, scientist, and wildlife division manager.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Service Technician | $30,862 | $2,572 | $14.84 | 83,697 |
| Environmental Technician | $39,690 | $3,308 | $19.08 | 43,079 |
| Ecologist | $50,369 | $4,197 | $24.22 | 7,026 |
| Fish And Wildlife Biologist | $52,402 | $4,367 | $25.19 | 7,349 |
| Wildlife Biologist | $51,084 | $4,257 | $24.56 | 5,376 |
| Fisheries Biologist | $47,758 | $3,980 | $22.96 | 3,648 |
Top companies hiring marine scientists now:
Which companies pay marine scientists the most?
Marine scientist salaries at Center for Coastal Studies and General Dynamics are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average marine scientist salary at companies like San Jose State University and AECOM are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Center for Coastal Studies | $86,282 | $41.48 |
| 2 | General Dynamics | $81,791 | $39.32 |
| 3 | San Jose State University | $74,741 | $35.93 |
| 4 | AECOM | $71,084 | $34.17 |
| 5 | Versar | $59,855 | $28.78 |
| 6 | S.C. Department of Commerce | $43,432 | $20.88 |
| 7 | Maine | $42,816 | $20.58 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Marine Scientist salary trends
The average marine scientist salary has risen by $10,315 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average marine scientist earned $66,325 annually, but today, they earn $76,640 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for marine scientists over the last decade.
Compare marine scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average marine scientist salary over time
Compare marine scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Marine Scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $76,600 | $36.85 | +4.6% |
| 2024 | $73,100 | $35.14 | -0.2% |
| 2023 | $73,300 | $35.22 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $72,000 | $34.59 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | $69,900 | $33.61 | +1.4% |
Recently added marine scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State of Maine | Marine Resource Scientist II-2716-Limited Period (Anticipated Vacancy) | Boothbay Harbor, ME | 12/04/2024 | $67,184 |
| State of Maine, Bureau of Human Resources | Marine Resource Scientist II-2716-Limited Period (Anticipated Vacancy) | Boothbay Harbor, ME | 12/03/2024 | $67,184 |
| State of Maine, Bureau of Human Resources | Marine Resource Scientist III-2749-West Boothbay Harbor (Limited Period) | Boothbay Harbor, ME | 09/28/2024 | $69,992 |
| State of Maine | Marine Resource Scientist I-2756-Limited Period (Anticipated Vacancy) | Boothbay Harbor, ME | 09/24/2024 | $54,538 |
| Mainemuseums | Marine Resource Scientist IV-2695 (Anticipated Vacancy) | Augusta, ME | 09/12/2024 | $11,197 |
| State of Maine, Bureau of Human Resources | Marine Resource Scientist IV-2695 (Anticipated Vacancy) | Boothbay Harbor, ME | 09/05/2024 | $79,019 |
| World Wildlife Fund | Marine Conservation Scientist, Nature Positive | Washington, DC | 07/27/2024 | $88,300 |
| World Wildlife Fund | Marine Conservation Scientist, Nature Positive | Washington, DC | 07/27/2024 | $88,300 |
| Wwf Us | Marine Conservation Scientist, Nature Positive | Washington, DC | 07/23/2024 | $88,300 |
| Wwf Us | Marine Conservation Scientist, Nature Positive | Washington, DC | 07/23/2024 | $88,300 |
Marine Scientist salary FAQs
Search for marine scientist jobs