Marine Biology Degree in Bloomington, MN — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Bloomington, MN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$50K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$62K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7.6 yrs
in Bloomington
Cost of Living
100.2
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Bloomington, MN Overview
While Bloomington has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Marine Biology students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $14,533/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 Bloomington is approximately $50,100.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$14,200/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,533/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,264/yr
Unemployment
2.3%
Graduation Rate
75%
Marine Biology Salary in Bloomington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Bloomington's cost of living index of 100.2 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Bloomington adjustment factor: 1.00x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Bloomington
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Bloomington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,200 | Private avg: $38,000
Bloomington avg aid: $11,264/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$114,932
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,030
vs HS diploma in Bloomington
ROI Payback Period
7.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Bloomington
$135,568
Lifetime earnings premium ($250,500) minus total education cost ($114,932)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Bloomington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Bloomington for Marine Biology
Bloomington State University
public
$15,525/yr
$62,100 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Bloomington Community College
$5,519/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Bloomington
Bloomington offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Bloomington Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Minnesota Cities
Minneapolis, MN
$49K starting · COL 97
15 colleges
Saint Paul, MN
$51K starting · COL 101.5
11 colleges
St. Paul, MN
$54K starting · COL 108
20 colleges
Rochester, MN
$53K starting · COL 105
8 colleges
Duluth, MN
$50K starting · COL 100
5 colleges
Brooklyn Park, MN
$49K starting · COL 98.8
4 colleges
Plymouth, MN
$54K starting · COL 107.3
4 colleges
Maple Grove, MN
$54K starting · COL 107.4
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Bloomington
Prompt Engineering
$50K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$95K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$85K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$88K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$50K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$80K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$50K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Bloomington — 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 Bloomington.