Coast Guard · MST
Your Marine Science Technician experience maps to civilian jobs like Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health and Chemical Technicians—and well beyond. Explore the specific roles below, see what each pays and requires, and build from there.
The federal crosswalk lists only a broad “Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other” bucket for MST—so here are the specific civilian roles Marine Science Technician experience genuinely maps to. See what each involves, what it pays, and why it fits.
$50,660/yr mediantypical $36k–$85k~32K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Bachelor’s degree typically expected
Perform laboratory and field tests to monitor the environment and investigate sources of pollution, including those that affect health, under the direction of an environmental scientist, engineer,…
Why it fits: Environmental sampling and monitoring transfer to environmental science technician roles.
$56,750/yr mediantypical $38k–$93k~56K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Associate degree, apprenticeship, or vocational training
Conduct chemical and physical laboratory tests to assist scientists in making qualitative and quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, and gaseous materials for research and development of new…
Why it fits: Lab and testing work maps to chemical technician roles.
$81,140/yr mediantypical $50k–$128k~122K U.S. jobs
★ Bright Outlook — Rapid growth
Typical entry: Bachelor’s degree typically expected
Review, evaluate, and analyze work environments and design programs and procedures to control, eliminate, and prevent disease or injury caused by chemical, physical, and biological agents or…
Why it fits: Marine safety and inspection support occupational health and safety.
$78,980/yr mediantypical $49k–$134k~81K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Bachelor’s degree typically expected
Conduct research or perform investigation for the purpose of identifying, abating, or eliminating sources of pollutants or hazards that affect either the environment or public health.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Marine Science Technician occupations on the science & analysis side—a natural next step.
$54,000/yr mediantypical $36k–$85k~14K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Bachelor’s degree typically expected
Apply theory and principles of environmental engineering to modify, test, and operate equipment and devices used in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental problems, including…
Why it fits: Closely related to your Marine Science Technician occupations on the engineering & technical design side—a natural next step.
$100,090/yr mediantypical $63k–$157k~40K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Bachelor’s degree typically expected
Research, design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental hazards using various engineering disciplines.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Marine Science Technician occupations on the engineering & technical design side—a natural next step.
$75,670/yr mediantypical $44k–$124k~384K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Bachelor’s degree typically expected
Inspect and investigate sources of pollution to protect the public and environment and ensure conformance with Federal, State, and local regulations and ordinances.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Marine Science Technician occupations on the business & financial operations side—a natural next step.
$54,890/yr mediantypical $37k–$83k~121K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Associate degree, apprenticeship, or vocational training
Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Marine Science Technician occupations on the manufacturing & production side—a natural next step.
$133,560/yr mediantypical $67k–$225k~590K U.S. jobs
★ Bright Outlook — Rapid growth; many openings
Typical entry: Bachelor’s degree typically expected
Plan and direct cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties for reuse.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Marine Science Technician occupations on the management & project leadership side—a natural next step.
Roles selected from the O*NET occupations that fit Marine Science Technician experience; the Department of Labor's own crosswalk lists only the broad “Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other” category for this code. Pay is BLS OEWS (May 2023). See the O*NET crosswalk.
Use the level that reflects what you actually did—not rank alone. Two people with the same code and very different experience should not submit the same résumé.
Lead with hands-on tasks, tools, equipment, qualifications, safety discipline, and the conditions in which you performed. Do not inflate supervisory scope.
Add team leadership, training, inspections, work allocation, quality control, readiness, and the people or assets you directly supervised.
Emphasize multi-team operations, schedules, resource forecasting, safety systems, policy enforcement, advising leaders, and organization-level results.
A translated title isn't enough. These four moves turn Marine Science Technician experience into evidence a civilian hiring manager can act on.
List the systems, vehicles, equipment, and tools you personally operated as Marine Science Technician—plus qualifications, certifications, and the recurring high-stakes tasks you owned.
Coast Guardsmen led, dollar value of equipment you were accountable for, workload, readiness rates, and safety or quality outcomes. Scope beats adjectives.
For any target role, name the license, degree, or software it requires and start now—your GI Bill and credentialing assistance can cover most of it.
Recruiters rarely search “MST.” Search job boards by the equipment, skills, and outcomes above as much as by “Marine Science Technician.”
You don't have to make this jump alone. These programs exist specifically to move service members into civilian careers—most are free, and several pay you while you train.
Train or intern with a civilian employer during your last ~180 days on active duty—at full military pay.
Earn a paycheck while you train for a trade or technical role; USMAP can credit the military training you already have.
Corporate fellowships and hiring events that place transitioning service members and military spouses.
Free career training and nationally recognized certifications for service members, veterans, and spouses.
VA-funded high-tech training (IT, cyber, data, software) that does not touch your GI Bill entitlement.
Free local career centers plus certification and state-by-state license finders for any field.
How to use this: Treat these as targets, not limits. Your exact duties depend on your assignments, so lead with what you actually did—and remember that regulated careers require their own license, certification, or degree.