Biology Degree in Sparks, NV — Salary & ROI 2026
Biology degree analysis for Sparks, NV. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$50K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$79K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.9 yrs
in Sparks
Cost of Living
105.2
index (100 = avg)
Biology in Sparks, NV Overview
While Sparks has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Biology students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $14,754/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Cell Biology and Genetics. The adjusted starting salary in Sparks is approximately $50,496, growing to $78,900 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$8,900/yr
Private Tuition
$24,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,754/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,917/yr
Unemployment
5.8%
Graduation Rate
64%
Biology Salary in Sparks (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Sparks's cost of living index of 105.2 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Biology salary: $48,000 starting, $75,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Sparks adjustment factor: 1.05x based on the local cost of living index.
Biology ROI Calculator for Sparks
Estimate your return on investment for a Biology degree using local Sparks tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,900 | Private avg: $24,000
Sparks avg aid: $11,917/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$94,616
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,676
vs HS diploma in Sparks
ROI Payback Period
6.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Sparks
$326,184
Lifetime earnings premium ($420,800) minus total education cost ($94,616)
Student Loan Payoff for Biology in Sparks
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Sparks for Biology
Sparks State University
public
$8,021/yr
$32,084 total
University of Sparks
public
$8,296/yr
$33,184 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Sparks Community College
$5,982/yr
Top Employers for Biology in Sparks
Sparks offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Sparks Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Biology Job Titles
Biology in Nearby Nevada Cities
Las Vegas, NV
$55K starting · COL 115
45 colleges
Henderson, NV
$62K starting · COL 129
12 colleges
Reno, NV
$56K starting · COL 116
21 colleges
North Las Vegas, NV
$47K starting · COL 98.5
10 colleges
Spring Valley, NV
$48K starting · COL 100.2
8 colleges
Sunrise Manor, NV
$46K starting · COL 95.8
7 colleges
Paradise, NV
$48K starting · COL 100.5
7 colleges
Enterprise, NV
$50K starting · COL 103.8
7 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Sparks
Prompt Engineering
$53K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$100K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$89K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$93K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$86K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Biology Degree in Sparks — 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 Sparks.