Marine Biology Degree in Bridgeport, CT — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Bridgeport, CT. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$71K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$87K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.2 yrs
in Bridgeport
Cost of Living
141
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Bridgeport, CT Overview
Bridgeport, Connecticut (pop. 148,529) has 11 colleges offering Marine Biology programs. The local cost of living index of 141 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,763/month. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Bridgeport is approximately $70,500.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
11
Public Tuition
$13,201/yr
Private Tuition
$35,160/yr
Room & Board
$19,837/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,621/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
69%
Marine Biology Salary in Bridgeport (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Bridgeport's cost of living index of 141 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Bridgeport adjustment factor: 1.41x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Bridgeport
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Bridgeport tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,201 | Private avg: $35,160
Bridgeport avg aid: $10,621/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$132,152
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$21,150
vs HS diploma in Bridgeport
ROI Payback Period
6.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Bridgeport
$220,348
Lifetime earnings premium ($352,500) minus total education cost ($132,152)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Bridgeport
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Bridgeport for Marine Biology
University of Bridgeport
private
$35,160/yr
$140,640 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Housatonic Community College
$4,920/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Bridgeport
Bridgeport offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Bridgeport Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Connecticut Cities
Stamford, CT
$71K starting · COL 141
7 colleges
New Haven, CT
$62K starting · COL 123
10 colleges
Hartford, CT
$58K starting · COL 116
10 colleges
Waterbury, CT
$70K starting · COL 140
8 colleges
Norwalk, CT
$64K starting · COL 128.5
4 colleges
Danbury, CT
$58K starting · COL 115.2
4 colleges
New Britain, CT
$55K starting · COL 109.7
3 colleges
West Hartford, CT
$56K starting · COL 112.5
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Bridgeport
Prompt Engineering
$71K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$134K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$120K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$124K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$116K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$120K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$71K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$113K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Bridgeport — 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 Bridgeport.