[1] After graduating from Sciences Po Toulouse in 1968,[2] Bernard Maris earned a doctorate in economics at the University of Toulouse I in 1975 with a thesis entitled La distribution personnelle des revenus: une approche théorique dans le cadre de la croissance équilibrée ("The personal distribution of income: A theoretical approach to balanced growth"), prepared under the direction of Jean Vincens.

[3][4] On the radio, Bernard Maris had a weekly column entitled J'ai tout compris à l'économie, each Saturday on France Inter, and took part each Friday in a debate on topical economic issues with the economic journalist of Les Échos, Dominique Seux, from 7:50.

Bernard Maris was often presented as alter-globalization, because of his earlier participation with the Scientific Council of ATTAC Association for the Taxation of Financial Transactions and for Citizens' Action.

He was also a candidate for the CFDT in the 2009 elections for the Commission de la carte d'identité des journalistes professionnels.

Bernard Maris was initiated at Roger Leray lodge in Paris (Grand Orient de France) in 2008.

On 21 December 2011, Jean-Pierre Bel, president of the Senate, appointed him a member of the General Council of the Banque de France.