By: Mia Myklebust
There’s no way around it, choosing a major is tough. The number of options can be overwhelming and often make it difficult for students to decide on a topic, let alone stick with just one (50% of freshmen who declare a major change it at least once!) When starting college it is challenging to pinpoint exactly what field of study you’re passionate about. A great way to start the process of figuring it out is to read about different majors and then picture yourself in that profession.
If you spend more time in the water than on land, if most of your childhood days at the beach were spent playing with crabs and poking sea urchins, if you get an abnormal amount of joy from going to the aquarium, then marine science could be the major for you.
As a marine biologist, you will study saltwater organisms and their relationships to their environments. The number of subjects that marine biologists can study is boundless. The ocean covers about 72% of the planet’s surface and houses an estimated two million marine species. That’s a lot of fish to fry!
Take a look at these colleges with some of the best marine biology programs in the United States. If you know you want to study marine science, one of these colleges would be a great choice!
Coastal Carolina University
Type: Public
Students: 7,849 Undergraduates
Tuition: $9,680 in state /$21,480 out of state
Location: Conway, SC
College of Charleston
Type: Public
Students: 9,700 Undergraduates
Tuition: $9,616 in state /$24,330 out of state
Location: Charleston, SC
Texas A&M University at Galveston
Type: Public
Students: 1,810 Undergraduates
Tuition: $4,364 in state /$11,876 out of state
Location: Galveston, TX
University of Alaska Southeast
Type: Public
Students: 898 Undergraduates
Tuition: $4,620 in state /$6,930 out of state
Location: Juneau, AK
University of California, Berkeley
Type: Public
Students: 25138 Undergraduates
Tuition: $11,220 in state /$34,098 out of state
Location: Berkeley, CA
University of California, San Diego
Type: Public
Students: 23,290 Undergraduates
Tuition: $10,152 in state /$33,030 out of state
Location: San Diego, CA
University of California, Santa Barbara
Type: Public
Students: 18,318 Undergraduates
Tuition: $11,220 in state /$13,110 out of state
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
University of California, Santa Cruz
Type: Public
Students: 15,411 Undergraduates
Tuition: $13,416 in state /$22,878 out of state
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Type: Public
Students: 11,634 Undergraduates
Tuition: $8,664 in state /$24,912 out of state
Location: Honolulu, HI
University of Maine
Type: Public
Students: 7,549 Undergraduates
Tuition: $10,588 in state /$26,308 out of state
Location: Orono, ME
University of Miami
Type: Private / Nonprofit
Students: 9,833 Undergraduates
Tuition: $38,440 in state /$38,440 out of state
Location: Coral Gables, FL
University of New Hampshire
Type: Public
Students: 11,960 Undergraduates
Tuition: $12,060 in state /$25,380 out of state
Location: Durham, NH
University of Washington
Type: Public
Students: 25,863 Undergraduates
Tuition: $9,746 in state /$27,230 out of state
Location: Seattle, WA
These are some great schools for Marine Science if you want to begin your studies in an undergraduate program. If you know you know from a young age that you’re passionate about marine life, this is a great path to take. However, often times students will major in a more general branch of science in undergrad (such as traditional biology) and move on to marine science in their graduate studies. No matter what path you choose make sure you do your research about the specific program and choose one that is a good fit for you!
For more information about different majors check out our blogs our schools that have great programs for: Journalism, Political Science, Graphic Design, Fashion Design and Merchandising, Business and Engineering.
