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How to choose between making money and wanting to be happy in a career?

I am currently a rising Junior in highschool and my dream job is to be a marine biologist (More specifically an oceanographer), an ornithologist, or a herpetologist but there are little to few jobs available, and if they are available they don't pay enough for me to grow up and be comfortable. I understand I should be happy with a job but I want to be able to buy groceries and such. Maybe even a treat now and then.

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John’s Answer

Hi Alina!
When I was in high school I wanted to be an Oceanographer and had taken four years of high school biology classes toward that end. Unfortunately when I got into community college, I took a self-paced Advanced Algebra class where we didn't get much class time or actual instruction, and I wound up withdrawing and settling for an AA instead of an AS degree which you need towards the BS in Oceanography. Then I got drafted during Vietnam and wound up doing a 30 year career in the Navy - where at least I was on the sea a lot :) Later on I got an MS degree in business.
Anyway, there are at least two dozen Marine Biology related careers, including Lab Technician, Environmental Planner, Natural Resource Technician, Marine Scientist, Horticulturist, Veterinarian (marine mammals), Environmental Technician, Wetland Scientist, Marine Biologist, Fisheries observer, Ecologist, Wildlife biologist, Oceanographer, Aquaculture, Teacher (in any of these fields), Archaeologist (with an undersea focus), Environmental Consultant, Biologist, Scientist, Engineer, Research Assistant, Aquarium employee, Research Technician, and Commercial Diver, to name a few.
So perhaps if you broaden your thinking about the more encompassing Marine Biology career, you might see that there are quite a few more jobs available. A quick check on Indeed just now, showed 29 Marine Biology jobs available today just in my state of Washington. Another source of these careers is at NOAA - here's a link: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/insight/looking-career-marine-life-look-noaa
While Marine Biologists average around $60K/year, Lab Techs and Researches earn about $70K, NOAA jobs can run from $50K to $150K, but like anything - you have to work your way up.
If you like being outside and doing research involving trees, plants, animals, and the environment - Bureau of Land Management (BLM) might be another option. My sister worked for BLM for thirty-plus years and really loved it - doing everything from forestry to firefighting in Oregon. Just something more to think about and perhaps look into.
I think it's important to try lots of things while your young, and you can shift careers from time to time - most people do, because their interests and needs change over time. I'd encourage you to keep your options open and be willing to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.

Good luck on your journey!
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Adrian’s Answer

This is a tough question most people face. My advice is to find certain skills that you may have, find what career choices intersect or match with those skills. Try to think of more than 1 career possibility, if that career doesn't have many jobs and/or possibility of growth (professionally and financially), than move to another one. Life is about balance, need to strive to do meaningful and fun work, but, we also need to meet our financial needs. Working in something that one may love but cannot pay the bills leads to frustration and unhappiness. While money isn't the entire solution for happiness it is an important part.

Adrian recommends the following next steps:

Discover your inteterests and skills
Discover careers that interest you
Try to match your interests and skills with careers that interest you
Find out more about those careers, what are the job growth rate, typical pay for beginners/Sr's, more experienced, etc.?
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Marisa’s Answer, CareerVillage.org Team

John and Adrian both shared some great advice! I will add that as a Junior in high school you have plenty of time to make decisions about your career in parts. This is a big question that many people with many different interests and goals grapple with too, and it doesn't all need to be figured out right now. That being said, you are wise for considering your future with such thoughtfulness! If you plan to go to college, I recommend that you follow your passion in education and study marine biology (or zoology, oceanography, etc) and keep your mind open to how what you are learning can translate into a future career. Ask your professors what their careers have looked like, and be curious about what career paths are out there that you might not know about. Life and work should be a balance, and I can assure you there is a world in which you get to work out in the field with marine life and buy yourself a treat here and there, even if it takes some trial and error to get there.
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