Annual Salary
£23,000 to £45,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Oceanographers study seas and currents, marine plants and animals, and the rocks and minerals that lie beneath the sea bed.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; away from home
There will be
2.4% more Oceanographer jobs in 2027.
As an oceanographer, you might:
You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.
You could work in a laboratory, at a research facility or at sea.
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time and you'll travel often.
You can get into this job through a university course.
You can study for a degree in oceanography or a related subject, like:
Employers often look for students with postgraduate qualifications, like a master's degree or PhD. They also value experience of working in marine science, engineering or oceanographic research.
You can get experience by choosing a course that includes work placements or internships with a marine company or research centre.
You can find marine companies and research organisations through the Society for Underwater Technology.
You'll usually need:
You could contact marine companies to see if you could work with them on a project as part of your university dissertation or postgraduate research. This would allow you to build up contacts in the industry, who may be able to help you find work once you complete your studies.
You can find out more about becoming an oceanographer from the:Society for Underwater Technology; National Oceanography Centre; Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST)
As your career develops you could become a project leader or manager. You might also wish to specialise in a particular field of oceanography, such as:coastal modelling; sealife research and conservation; the impact of a changing climate on ocean currents
There are opportunities to work on research projects while studying for higher qualifications, for example, with the:Marine Technology Education Consortium; Natural Environment Research Council; Southampton Partnership for Innovative Training of Future Investigators Researching the Environment (SPITFIRE)
There are also openings in higher education, working as a researcher or lecturer, and scientific journalism.
You could further your career by taking courses through the Marine Technology Education Consortium, or by networking at events run by the Society for Underwater Technology or the Challenger Society for Marine Science.
You could take a PhD through an initiative like the Southampton Partnership for Innovative Training of Future Investigators Researching the Environment (SPITFIRE).
You'll need: