What Can I Do with a Degree from the School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences?

Will it help me get a job as a marine biologist? How about a job teaching aquatic sciences? What if I want to work in wildlife conservation? Or will I learn what I need to know to start my own aquaculture business? We know how important the answers to these questions can be in helping you to decide whether to pursue an advanced degree here.

To answer such questions, we collected job placement information from about two-thirds of the roughly 335 students who graduated from our MS and PhD programs over the last 10 years. Our results show that an advanced degree from SAFS can open the door to diverse fields including resource management and conservation, education, and aquatic science activities in the private sector. Whether you want to conduct research on aquatic animals, environments, and issues; teach aquatic sciences in schools or to the public; or work with wild capture fisheries or aquaculture enterprises, a Master's or PhD from SAFS can help prepare you for your chosen career.

SAFS Post-Graduate Employment Statistics

Over the last 10 years, most graduates of our Master's program have taken jobs in the business sector—particularly in environmental consulting and aquaculture—in federal and state resource management agencies, and in university research programs. Also, many graduates choose to continue their education by enrolling in PhD and other programs.

For the same 10-year period, well over half of our PhD graduates have pursued careers in science and resource management in the Pacific Northwest through government organizations and in the business sector. Also, many of them become tenure-track faculty in other universities in the USA and elsewhere.