Biology Degree in Spokane Valley, WA — Salary & ROI 2026
Biology degree analysis for Spokane Valley, WA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$59K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$92K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.9 yrs
in Spokane Valley
Cost of Living
123.1
index (100 = avg)
Biology in Spokane Valley, WA Overview
While Spokane Valley has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Biology students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,918/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 Spokane Valley is approximately $59,088, growing to $92,325 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$11,800/yr
Private Tuition
$40,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,918/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,539/yr
Unemployment
3.8%
Graduation Rate
49%
Biology Salary in Spokane Valley (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Spokane Valley's cost of living index of 123.1 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Biology salary: $48,000 starting, $75,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Spokane Valley adjustment factor: 1.23x based on the local cost of living index.
Biology ROI Calculator for Spokane Valley
Estimate your return on investment for a Biology degree using local Spokane Valley tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,800 | Private avg: $40,000
Spokane Valley avg aid: $15,539/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$110,872
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,003
vs HS diploma in Spokane Valley
ROI Payback Period
6.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Spokane Valley
$381,528
Lifetime earnings premium ($492,400) minus total education cost ($110,872)
Student Loan Payoff for Biology in Spokane Valley
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Spokane Valley for Biology
Spokane Valley State University
public
$10,998/yr
$43,992 total
University of Spokane Valley
public
$12,426/yr
$49,704 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Spokane Valley Community College
$5,510/yr
Top Employers for Biology in Spokane Valley
Spokane Valley offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Spokane Valley Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Biology Job Titles
Biology in Nearby Washington Cities
Seattle, WA
$58K starting · COL 120
16 colleges
Spokane, WA
$58K starting · COL 121
20 colleges
Tacoma, WA
$54K starting · COL 113
25 colleges
Vancouver, WA
$52K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Bellevue, WA
$86K starting · COL 178.5
6 colleges
Kent, WA
$56K starting · COL 115.8
6 colleges
Everett, WA
$57K starting · COL 118.2
5 colleges
Renton, WA
$59K starting · COL 122.5
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Spokane Valley
Prompt Engineering
$62K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$117K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$105K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$108K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$101K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$62K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$98K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$62K starting · 3 yr ROI
Biology Degree in Spokane Valley — 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 Spokane Valley.