The marine microalgae Nannochloropsis sp. was cultured under a metal halide lamp (MH) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) of various wavelengths (blue, LB; red, LR; yellow, LY; green, LG; white, LW); changes in growth, total carotenoid, chlorophyll a, amino acid and fatty acid profiles were investigated. LB-exposed cultures exhibited the highest specific growth rate (SGR) (0.32), whereas LY-exposed cultures showed the lowest SGR (0.18). After cultivation for 9 days, the maximum dry cell weight (g/L) of LB-exposed cultures was significantly higher than that of those exposed to other light conditions (LB>MH>LW$${geq_-}LG{geq_-}$$LR>LY). The essential amino acid (EAA, %) contents of cultures exposed to LG, LB, LR and MH were higher than those exposed to LY and LW (P<0.05). Eicosapentaenoic acid and n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid levels were significantly higher in MH-exposed cultures compared to those exposed to LY (P<0.05), with no marked difference compared to those exposed to LB, LG, LR and LW (P>0.05). The total carotenoid content was highest in LR-exposed cultures (18.0 mg/L), whereas MH showed the lowest (11.8 mg/L; P<0.05). Chlorophyll a content was highest in cultures exposed to LR compared to other light sources. These results suggest consistent differences in growth and biochemical composition after exposure to light of different wavelengths.