Oceanographers need the ability to apply theoretical concepts and analyze large volumes of information.
Oceanographers study all aspects of the oceans including their boundaries, the organisms and ecosystems within them, and their role in the earth's climate system. They also investigate the interaction between man and the oceans, to help manage its resources -- such as fish, oil and gas -- to harness its power to produce energy, and to limit the detrimental effect of human activity on the seas. An oceanographer's salary will vary depending on where she works and her sector of employment.
Average Pay
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the average annual salary for oceanographers, as for other hydrological scientists, was $76,760, as of May 2009. Calculated from wage data supplied by 7,150 hydrological scientists working throughout the United States, this translates into a monthly wage of $6,397 and an hourly pay rate of $36.91. The American Society of Limnology and Oceanography stated that within the aquatic science field an individual with a bachelors degree entering the field may find employment with the federal government at between $25,347 and $40,818) while Ph.D. degree-holders could earn from $40,000 to $90,000 per year, rising to $100,000 or more for senior scientists or professors.
Pay by Industry
According to the BLS survey, government agencies provide the majority of employment opportunities for oceanographers and other hydrologists. Federal agencies, as of 2009, employed the most practitioners at an average wage of $82,150. Within their state counterparts the average was $64,000 and at local level it was $68,590. Other opportunities exist within architectural, engineering and related services, where the average salary is $79,270, and consulting services, which offered $78,450.
Pay by Geography
Of the ocean-side cities included in the SalryExpert.com 2011 survey of oceanographer salaries, Houston had the highest average pay level -- $124,791 -- followed by Boston -- $77,549. Orlando was some way behind at an average of $55,706. The BLS listed Virginia as the state in which, across all industry sectors, a hydrological scientist was likely to secure the best compensation rates, averaging $131,670, while the Washington, Arlington, Alexandria are of District of Columbia was the most lucrative metropolitan district at $110,190.
Prospects
The BLS predicts that employment opportunities for oceanographers, as for other hydrologists and geoscientists, will grow by around 18 percent through 2018. For the country as a whole, across all occupations, growth is not expected to exceed 13 percent. An increasing emphasis on environmental protection and management will motivate this growth, particularly in coastal regions as increasing numbers of people choose to live there and in light of rising sea levels which may be linked to global warming. This demand for oceanographer expertise should see salary levels remain very competitive
Working Conditions
Oceanographers typically work in the field, in laboratories and in offices writing up their results. On research field trips they may use ships, aircraft, satellites and underwater craft as well as highly-specialized scientific equipment. They need a decent level of physical fitness, the ability to work closely as part of a team, and, ideally, not be prone to sea sickness.
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