Marine Biology Degree in Augusta, GA — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Augusta, GA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$42K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$51K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.2 yrs
in Augusta
Cost of Living
83
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Augusta, GA Overview
Augusta, Georgia (pop. 202,081) has 11 colleges offering Marine Biology programs. The local cost of living index of 83 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $848/month. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Augusta is approximately $41,500.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
11
Public Tuition
$9,540/yr
Private Tuition
$30,837/yr
Room & Board
$9,609/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,269/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
56%
Marine Biology Salary in Augusta (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Augusta's cost of living index of 83 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Augusta adjustment factor: 0.83x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Augusta
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Augusta tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,540 | Private avg: $30,837
Augusta avg aid: $12,269/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$76,596
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$12,450
vs HS diploma in Augusta
ROI Payback Period
6.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Augusta
$130,904
Lifetime earnings premium ($207,500) minus total education cost ($76,596)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Augusta
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Augusta for Marine Biology
Augusta University
public
$9,540/yr
$38,160 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Augusta Technical College
$3,152/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Augusta
Augusta offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Augusta Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Georgia Cities
Atlanta, GA
$51K starting · COL 101
23 colleges
Columbus, GA
$42K starting · COL 84.5
8 colleges
Macon, GA
$51K starting · COL 101
13 colleges
Savannah, GA
$48K starting · COL 95
12 colleges
Athens, GA
$52K starting · COL 103
11 colleges
Sandy Springs, GA
$56K starting · COL 112.5
5 colleges
Roswell, GA
$54K starting · COL 108.2
4 colleges
Johns Creek, GA
$56K starting · COL 112.8
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Augusta
Prompt Engineering
$42K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$79K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$71K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$73K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$68K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$42K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$66K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$42K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Augusta — 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 Augusta.