Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management
Students study aquatic ecosystems, fish biology, population dynamics, and sustainable fisheries management practices. Graduates typically pursue careers as fisheries biologists, aquaculture managers, marine resource consultants, and wildlife agency scientists. This niche field is critical for managing both commercial fishing industries and the health of aquatic ecosystems.
What Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management graduates do
Forget a typical desk job; your office will be the open water, a coastal hatchery, or the deck of a commercial vessel. You’ll likely start with hands-on work: operating nets and traps, sorting the daily catch, and maintaining gear in challenging conditions. As you gain experience, you can advance to a first-line supervisor, where your focus shifts from physical labor to leadership. In this role, you'll coordinate your crew’s activities, enforce safety protocols, manage vessel logistics, and report harvest data to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
While the number of traditional fishing jobs faces headwinds, opportunities for skilled managers who can lead teams and oversee complex operations are more stable. A significant advantage of this career path is its resilience to automation. AI has a very limited impact on the core work, which requires physical skill, on-the-spot problem-solving, and in-person team leadership. Technology may assist with navigation or data logging, but it can’t replace the human judgment needed to run a successful operation at sea.
Related majors worth comparing: Forestry, Food Processing, and Animal Sciences.
Where Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management graduates work
Common career paths for Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management graduates, with median salaries, projected growth, and AI exposure per role. Roughly 11,300 combined openings per year across these roles.
| Role | Median Pay | Annual Openings | 10-yr Growth | AI Exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
|
$59,330
$48K–$77K
|
8,500 | +2.5% | Low · 28% |
|
Fishing and hunting workers
|
—
|
2,800 | -4.6% | Low · 4% |
Best schools for Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management
Schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score (earnings × AI resilience × ROI × job-market size). Top 10 of 10.
| # | School | DW Score | 1-yr Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |
Texas A & M University-College Station
College Station, TX · Public
|
29 | $33,410 | 8.1x |
| 6 |
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR · Public
|
29 | $33,314 | 8.1x |
| 7 |
Northern Michigan University
Marquette, MI · Public
|
25 | $31,386 | 4.9x |
| 8 |
Purdue University-Main Campus
West Lafayette, IN · Public
|
25 | $31,317 | 9.1x |
| 9 |
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science
Paul Smiths, NY · Private nonprofit
|
24 | $34,321 | 1.7x |
| 10 |
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN · Public
|
17 | $26,655 | 4.6x |
Highest Earnings Top 5
| University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
WI |
$42,297 |
| Lake Superior State University
MI |
$34,729 |
| Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science
NY |
$34,321 |
| Texas A & M University-College Station
TX |
$33,410 |
| Oregon State University-Cascades Campus
OR |
$33,314 |
Best ROI Top 5
| California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
CA |
13.8x |
| University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
WI |
13.5x |
| Purdue University-Main Campus
IN |
9.1x |
| Oregon State University-Cascades Campus
OR |
8.8x |
| Oregon State University
OR |
8.1x |
Related majors
Similar fields of study often offered alongside Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management.
Frequently asked about Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management
What's the typical salary after a Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management degree?
First-year earnings for Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management graduates average $33,061 annually, based on data from 10 programs. The range spans $26,655 at the low end to $42,297 at the top.
What is the AI automation risk for Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management?
Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management is rated "Low" for AI automation risk, with 24% of job tasks exposed to large language models and AI tools. This means relatively few career tasks in this field could be augmented or replaced by AI over the next decade.
Where should I study Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management?
Our data ranks University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point first among 10 Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management programs. Its score of 44/100 reflects strong outcomes across earnings ($42,297/yr), return on investment, and career durability.
What's the ROI on a Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management degree?
The average 10-year earnings multiple is 8.1x tuition. This is a moderate return — school choice matters significantly. The spread between the best and worst programs is wide, so individual school selection has a major impact.