Glory
The pay isn't great and your work won't win a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (but we doubt Drew Barrymore will, either). However—prepare to be shocked—marine biologists don't care about any of that. Marine biologists aren't in the game for personal benefits. They truly care about the ocean, all 326 million trillion gallons of it, and the crazy creatures making it their home. Their reward and satisfaction come from the ways their labor of love affects our relationship with the sea.
Research into how deep elephant seals dive increases our understanding of how these mammals adapt to changing environments, opening new possibilities in the conservation efforts for these creatures. Using algae to synthesize new and alternative biofuels reduces the need for oil rigs off the coasts of Alaska. Conservation policies bring us one step closer to restoring the Earth's waters and inhabitants to their original, pristine state. And that's all the glory that marine biologists need and then some.