6 Top Marine Biology Colleges in Alabama|Program Details

There are Top Marine Biology Colleges in Alabama, and they prepare students for employment or post graduate training in the marine sciences. Graduates of this program are employed in occupations as diverse as University professorship, government agencies, aquarists, and marine educators.

Students completing the marine biology major will enter a job-rich market, with starting salaries typically in the area of $40,000 and $50,000 with a Bachelor’s Degree. Read on to see the top marine biology colleges in Alabama.

Where to work with a marine biology degree

Students with bachelor’s degrees in marine biology, after graduation from the marine biology colleges in Alabama, find employment opportunities in a variety of fields.

In conjunction with a teaching credential or graduate degree in teaching, students often use their marine biology background to teach science at the K–12 level.

Technical positions with local, state, and federal government agencies are most commonly pursued.

Coastal cities and counties maintain biology staffs for monitoring and evaluating water quality and environmental impacts of marine discharges.

Elsewhere in the private sector, students find employment with mariculture, environmental consulting, aquariums and biotechnology firms.

Academic research institutions also hire students for technical research positions.

All of the above provide students opportunities to explore career trajectories as they consider continuing their education in graduate programs. Now, let us look at the list of marine biology colleges in Alabama.

The List of Top Marine Biology Colleges in Alabama

  • Alabama State University BS [Marine Biology]
  • Auburn University [Marine Biology] BS [MS/PhD] Samford University [Marine Science] BS, [Environmental Management] MS
  • University of Alabama [Marine Science/Biology] BS, [Marine Science] MS
  • University of North Alabama [Marine Biology] BA, BS
  • University of South Alabama [Biology – Marine Biology Concentration] BS, [Marine Science] MS, PhD
  • University of West Alabama [Marine Biology] BS, [Conservation Biology] MS

Let us look at these marine biology colleges in Alabama in Detail.

Alabama State University BS [Marine Biology]

Alabama State University BS [Marine Biology]: Alabama State University (ASU) is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award bachelor’s, master’s, education specialist and doctorate degrees. 

The marine biology major is designed to introduce students to marine ecosystems, including the great diversity of marine organisms and their coastal and oceanic environments.

The emphasis is on basic principles that help us to understand the processes that shape life in marine environments.

Marine Biology majors spend two summers at Dauphin Island Sea Lab to conduct their marine course

Auburn University [Marine Biology] BS [MS/PhD] Samford University [Marine Science] BS, [Environmental Management] MS

Auburn University [Marine Biology] BS [MS/PhD] Samford University [Marine Science] BS, [Environmental Management] MS:

Their Department offers three majors leading to the Bachelor of Science degree (Marine Biology; Microbial, Cellular & Molecular Biology; Organismal Biology). 

The curricula for these majors are designed to provide students with a solid foundation in biology as well as providing the opportunity for specialization. 

All of these majors also provide a strong preparation for further study in graduate programs or in professional schools, including medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and other allied health fields.  

University of Alabama [Marine Science/Biology] BS, [Marine Science] MS

University of Alabama [Marine Science/Biology] BS[Marine Science] MS: At the University of Alabama, students pursuing a marine science degree typically demonstrate a strong interest in some aspect of the marine environment and in the sciences in general.

High school preparation should include a solid background in mathematics and introductory biology and/or chemistry.

During the summer semester, a large suite of marine science courses is offered at the Dauphin Island campus of the Alabama Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium.


University of North Alabama [Marine Biology] BA, BS


University of North Alabama [Marine Biology] BA, BS: The marine biology major is designed for students who wish to prepare for positions in the area of marine or aquatic biology or who plan to pursue Master’s degrees or Ph.D.s in these fields.

The standard courses for the major are offered on the university campus, with specialized courses, such as Marine Botany, Marine Vertebrate Zoology, Marine Invertebrate Zoology, and Marine Ecology, being taken on-site at the Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory (DISL) near Mobile, Alabama.

Students who earn Bachelor’s degree in marine biology can find employment in the field, but if you wish to advance your career, you will need additional education (Master’s or Ph.D.).

University of South Alabama [Biology – Marine Biology Concentration] BS, [Marine Science] MS, PhD


University of South Alabama [Biology – Marine Biology Concentration] BS[Marine Science] MSPhD: The Department of Marine Sciences welcomes qualified students who wish to better focus their academic training on oceanography and marine biology.

This is one of the marine biology colleges in Alabama, where an undergraduate minor in marine sciences is designed to complement many science and non-science majors offered in the USA.

Ocean-related science is relevant to many contemporary environmental issues and problems and central to understanding earth-system evolution, dynamics, climate and sustainability.

The minor consists of courses and research opportunities offered primarily by faculty and researchers in the Department of Marine Sciences and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.

Alabama State University BS [Marine Biology]
Auburn University [Marine Biology] BS [MS/PhD] Samford University [Marine Science] BS, [Environmental Management] MS
University of Alabama [Marine Science/Biology] BS, [Marine Science] MS
University of North Alabama [Marine Biology] BA, BS
University of South Alabama [Biology – Marine Biology Concentration] BS, [Marine Science] MS, PhD


University of West Alabama [Marine Biology] BS, [Conservation Biology] MS


University of West Alabama [Marine Biology] BS[Conservation Biology] MS: The Marine Biology Major is a comprehensive program designed to prepare students for careers in the marine sciences.

If you love marine life and hope to find a job working in or on the water, this is the degree for you.

Many of those completing this major will go on graduate preparation for careers in academia or research, while others have taken jobs as lab/field technicians or marine educators.

What are your thoughts about these marine biology colleges in Alabama? Please share your thoughts below.

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