Biology Degree in Fontana, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Biology degree analysis for Fontana, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$51K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$80K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
8.8 yrs
in Fontana
Cost of Living
106
index (100 = avg)
Biology in Fontana, CA Overview
Fontana, California (pop. 214,547) has 18 colleges offering Biology programs. The local cost of living index of 106 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,423/month. Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Cell Biology and Genetics. The adjusted starting salary in Fontana is approximately $50,880, growing to $79,500 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
18
Public Tuition
$11,333/yr
Private Tuition
$38,840/yr
Room & Board
$18,944/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,336/yr
Unemployment
3.4%
Graduation Rate
61%
Biology Salary in Fontana (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Fontana's cost of living index of 106 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Biology salary: $48,000 starting, $75,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Fontana adjustment factor: 1.06x based on the local cost of living index.
Biology ROI Calculator for Fontana
Estimate your return on investment for a Biology degree using local Fontana tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,333 | Private avg: $38,840
Fontana avg aid: $11,336/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$121,108
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,780
vs HS diploma in Fontana
ROI Payback Period
8.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Fontana
$302,892
Lifetime earnings premium ($424,000) minus total education cost ($121,108)
Student Loan Payoff for Biology in Fontana
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Fontana for Biology
California Baptist University Fontana
private
$38,840/yr
$155,360 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Chaffey College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Biology in Fontana
Fontana offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Fontana Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Biology Job Titles
Biology in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$68K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$67K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$62K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$55K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$57K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$54K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$56K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$63K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Fontana
Prompt Engineering
$53K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$101K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$90K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$93K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$87K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$90K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$85K starting · 3 yr ROI
Biology Degree in Fontana — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Biology ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Fontana.