Marine Biology Degree in Aurora, CO — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Aurora, CO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$56K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$69K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6 yrs
in Aurora
Cost of Living
111
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Aurora, CO Overview
Aurora is one of Colorado's top college towns, with 28 institutions and a student population of 20,916. Public tuition averages $11,380/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Aurora is approximately $55,500.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
28
Public Tuition
$11,380/yr
Private Tuition
$47,322/yr
Room & Board
$13,656/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$16,981/yr
Unemployment
3.1%
Graduation Rate
63%
Marine Biology Salary in Aurora (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Aurora's cost of living index of 111 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Aurora adjustment factor: 1.11x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Aurora
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Aurora tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,380 | Private avg: $47,322
Aurora avg aid: $16,981/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$100,144
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,650
vs HS diploma in Aurora
ROI Payback Period
6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Aurora
$177,356
Lifetime earnings premium ($277,500) minus total education cost ($100,144)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Aurora
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Aurora for Marine Biology
University of Colorado Anschutz
public
$11,380/yr
$45,520 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Community College of Aurora
$4,419/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Aurora
Aurora offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Aurora 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
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
Arvada, CO
$53K starting · COL 105.5
5 colleges
Westminster, CO
$52K starting · COL 103.8
5 colleges
Pueblo, CO
$61K starting · COL 122
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Aurora
Prompt Engineering
$56K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$105K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$94K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$98K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$91K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$89K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Aurora — 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 Aurora.