Marine Biology Degree in Arvada, CO — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Arvada, CO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$53K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$65K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.6 yrs
in Arvada
Cost of Living
105.5
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Arvada, CO Overview
While Arvada has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Marine Biology students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $13,944/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Arvada is approximately $52,750.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$12,200/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$13,944/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,461/yr
Unemployment
3%
Graduation Rate
50%
Marine Biology Salary in Arvada (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Arvada's cost of living index of 105.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Arvada adjustment factor: 1.05x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Arvada
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Arvada tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,200 | Private avg: $38,000
Arvada avg aid: $8,461/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$104,576
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,825
vs HS diploma in Arvada
ROI Payback Period
6.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Arvada
$159,174
Lifetime earnings premium ($263,750) minus total education cost ($104,576)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Arvada
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Arvada for Marine Biology
Arvada State University
public
$11,667/yr
$46,668 total
University of Arvada
public
$11,617/yr
$46,468 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Arvada Community College
$5,532/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Arvada
Arvada offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Arvada Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Colorado Cities
Denver, CO
$64K starting · COL 128
31 colleges
Colorado Springs, CO
$61K starting · COL 122
22 colleges
Aurora, CO
$56K starting · COL 111
28 colleges
Fort Collins, CO
$63K starting · COL 126
5 colleges
Lakewood, CO
$53K starting · COL 105.8
6 colleges
Thornton, CO
$51K starting · COL 102.5
6 colleges
Westminster, CO
$52K starting · COL 103.8
5 colleges
Pueblo, CO
$61K starting · COL 122
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Arvada
Prompt Engineering
$53K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$100K 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
Actuarial Science
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Arvada — 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 Marine Biology ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Arvada.