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Marine Resource Management

Types of Degrees Marine Resource Management Majors Are Earning

Those studying Marine Resource Management may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	12
Associate’s Degree	23
Bachelor’s Degree	83
Master’s Degree	232
Doctor’s Degree	5

What Marine Resource Management Majors Need to Know

Studies in Marine Resource Management develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Marine Resource Management graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Marine Resource Management emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a Marine Resource Management program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Marine Resource Management careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Marine Resource Management graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.4 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Marine Resource Management professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Geographic information system GIS software	Geographic information system	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	—
Leica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINE	Map creation software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Marine Resource Management graduates include:

• Natural Resources Faculty Member
• Forest Technology Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Forest Ecology Professor
• Silviculture Professor
• Lecturer
• College Professor
• Natural Resources Program Instructor
• Conservation Biology Professor
• Instructor
• Forestry Instructor
• Timber Management Professor
• Forest Management Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Research Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Marine Resource Management graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	35.0%
Bachelor’s degree	32.9%
Master’s degree	13.3%
Post-doctoral training	12.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.2%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.0%
Postsecondary certificate	1.0%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.5%
Some college courses	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Marine Resource Management?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 66.8% of Marine Resource Management degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	237	66.8%
Men	118	33.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Marine Resource Management graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	250	70.4%
Asian	7	2.0%
Hispanic or Latino	43	12.1%
Black or African American	6	1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	3	0.8%
Two or More Races	10	2.8%
Race Unknown	12	3.4%
International Students	24	6.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Marine Resource Management Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Marine Resource Management graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$42,496
4 years	$52,434
5 years	$59,221

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $59,221 — roughly 39% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Marine Resource Management Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for Marine Resource Management. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	0
Bachelor’s	2	0
Master’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Marine Resource Management Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Marine Resource Management graduates earn a median of $52,434 four years after completion — roughly 38% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy	03.02
Bioenergy	03.0210
Energy and Environmental Policy	03.0209
Environmental/Natural Resource Economics	03.0204
Environmental/Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism	03.0207
Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services	03.0208
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General	03.0201
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other	03.0299
Land Use Planning and Management/Development	03.0206
Forest Management/Forest Resources Management	03.0506
Forest Sciences and Biology	03.0502
Forestry, General	03.0501

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.