Earth’s marine areas harbor a vast array of life, and many ocean species remain unclassified or unexplored. These ecosystems support life on Earth by regulating climate, providing food, and sustaining biodiversity.
Though aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems may seem unrelated at first glance, they are more connected than one might believe. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, global fisheries and aquaculture production reached 223.2 million tonnes in 2022, while aquaculture surpassed capture fisheries as the main producer of aquatic animals for the first time. Aquatic foods provide about 15% of animal proteins and 6% of total proteins worldwide.
Gaining a degree in marine biology equips individuals to study marine biodiversity trends, marine conservation, fisheries, aquaculture, and the broader health of ocean ecosystems. Marine biologists play an important role in studying and developing strategies for marine species conservation.
The United States has many prestigious universities that offer marine biology and marine science programs, including the ones we have included here. To help you better understand where you should study marine biology courses offered in the United States, we have created a detailed article below highlighting some of the top marine biology schools in the USA.
Top Schools Offering Marine Biology Programs in the U.S.
1. Boston University
Our number one recommendation is Boston University, which is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Among its alumni and past academics, the university has several Nobel Laureates, including Osamu Shimomura, the 2008 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry, and Daniel Tsui, the 1998 Nobel Prize winner in Physics. The institution emphasizes skill-based tutoring methods and practical learning techniques to enhance students’ abilities.
Boston University’s undergraduate Marine Science major provides a strong foundation in science and math, with required courses in biology, chemistry, physics, calculus, and statistics. Students also complete marine science courses and the Marine Semester, which includes field- and research-focused course options.
At the graduate level, the BU Marine Program coordinates interdisciplinary marine research opportunities through participating departments. Students may pursue a Master of Arts or Doctor of Philosophy through the departments of Biology or Earth & Environment, depending on their academic interests and faculty advising. Moreover, BU offers a range of merit-based scholarships for eligible students.
2. Duke University
The second institution that we suggest for marine biology enthusiasts is Duke University, which is ranked #62 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Their students thrive by experiencing specialists discussing research issues in class, introducing them to basic concepts and current discoveries or topics.
Duke offers undergraduate study in Marine Science and Conservation and a Ph.D. in Marine Science and Conservation. Its undergraduate program introduces students to marine systems, conservation, and governance, while the Ph.D. program provides detailed training in marine natural or social science and emphasizes research.
Duke University’s Marine Lab is a coastal campus in Beaufort, North Carolina. It operates year-round and provides educational, training, and research opportunities. Fieldwork opportunities include coastal sounds and marshes, coral reefs, and coastal and open-ocean settings.
Duke is also considered a strong institution for studying marine science and conservation in the USA, as it offers merit-based scholarships to incoming first-year students, a welcoming campus life, and a diverse student body.
3. University of Washington
The University of Washington is next on our list because it is a major institution for research, teaching, and community service. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and is ranked #81 in the QS World University Rankings 2026.
In terms of academic reputation, the University of Washington is among the very best. With more than 63,000 students across its three campuses in 2025–2026, it is a thriving hub for innovative research in subjects ranging from health to education, public policy, aviation, and business.
Students in its Marine Biology bachelor’s degree can study topics including marine ecology, physiology, evolution, conservation, and management. Advanced electives may be chosen from courses offered by the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, the School of Oceanography, and Friday Harbor Laboratories.
As part of this integrated practical study, students also complete an integrative field experience, such as a research or field course at Friday Harbor Labs or a similar site. Graduates from this major can find employment options in areas such as aquatic land management, environmental planning, environmental consulting, biomedical research, fisheries biology, research technology, field science, and related fields.
4. California State University, Long Beach
California State University in Long Beach offers a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology for undergraduates and a Master of Science in Biology for graduate students carrying out original research in marine biology. The Biological Sciences Department conducts this undergraduate course so that graduates may pursue additional studies in marine biology at the master’s level or find employment in the corporate or public sector.
The university is located just a few kilometers from the Pacific Ocean, making diverse marine habitats such as bays, estuaries, beaches, rocky intertidal areas, and open water accessible for short educational field trips.
The curriculum emphasizes both practical fieldwork and in-depth laboratory research on marine organisms and marine biological processes. Graduate work in marine biology at CSULB also provides training in experimental design, field and laboratory research, statistical analysis, and science communication.
CSULB offers scholarships and grants for students in marine biology, including the SCTC Marine Biology Educational Scholarship Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship, which supports tuition or living expenses for undergraduates enrolled in the B.S. program in Marine Biology.
5. University of New Hampshire
The final recommendation on our list is the University of New Hampshire. It is considered one of the best marine biology schools in the USA because students can take advantage of the campus’s proximity to aquatic areas.
UNH’s undergraduate program is the B.S. in Marine, Estuarine and Freshwater Biology. The Great Bay Estuary, where the UNH Jackson Estuarine Laboratory is located, is about five miles from the main UNH campus in Durham. The Judd Gregg Marine Research Complex, which includes the Coastal Marine Laboratory, is located about 15 miles from the Durham campus at the mouth of Portsmouth Harbor in New Castle, New Hampshire.
Students and researchers use a variety of facilities across these labs. The Coastal Marine Laboratory includes wet and dry lab infrastructure for faculty, graduate, and undergraduate research projects, and UNH also offers aquaculture facilities, coastal and estuarine research laboratories, and a genomics laboratory.
UNH graduates can build careers in areas such as environmental consulting, environmental protection, resource management, habitat restoration, fisheries, aquaculture, research, education, and conservation.
Apart from this, UNH offers various courses in other fields, such as accounting, economics, arts, law, and more. The university also offers its students a welcoming campus environment and multiple scholarships to assist qualifying students financially.
FAQs: Marine Biology Studies in the U.S.
Is Pursuing a Degree in Marine Biology Worth It?
There is a wide variety of both abiotic and biotic factors in marine ecosystems. The ocean economy supports hundreds of millions of people worldwide through sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, and related industries. A marine biology undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral student may find employment in a wide range of sectors.
These include government departments, commercial companies, universities, laboratories, manufacturing sites, research organizations, conservation groups, and public-sector agencies. Marine biology offers diverse employment opportunities, making it an attractive career path for students interested in ocean science, aquatic ecosystems, and conservation.
Marine and environmental outreach, environmental consulting, marine species research, environmental protection, reef ecology, pollution, coastal management, resource management, and coastal restoration are just some career areas in this field.
In summary, aquatic foods make up an important part of global nutrition, and marine ecosystems play a major role in environmental health and human livelihoods. The schools mentioned above are excellent marine biology schools in the USA that offer marine biology or marine science programs leading to rewarding degrees in this area. Hopefully, our recommendations helped narrow down your options for marine biology programs at universities in the USA.
We hope this article on the best marine biology schools in the USA was informative and helpful. Feel free to visit our Study in the USA Page and Available Programs for International Students for more information about the different programs and scholarship opportunities in the country!
