Marine Biology Degree in Columbia, MO — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Columbia, MO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$42K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$52K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7 yrs
in Columbia
Cost of Living
84
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Columbia, MO Overview
Columbia, Missouri (pop. 126,254) has 10 colleges offering Marine Biology programs. The local cost of living index of 84 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $1,005/month. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Columbia is approximately $42,000.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
10
Public Tuition
$11,142/yr
Private Tuition
$31,070/yr
Room & Board
$10,910/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$16,890/yr
Unemployment
3.4%
Graduation Rate
63%
Marine Biology Salary in Columbia (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Columbia's cost of living index of 84 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Columbia adjustment factor: 0.84x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Columbia
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Columbia tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,142 | Private avg: $31,070
Columbia avg aid: $16,890/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$88,208
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$12,600
vs HS diploma in Columbia
ROI Payback Period
7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Columbia
$121,792
Lifetime earnings premium ($210,000) minus total education cost ($88,208)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Columbia
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Columbia for Marine Biology
University of Missouri
public
$11,142/yr
$44,568 total
Stephens College
private
$31,070/yr
$124,280 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Moberly Area Community College Columbia
$3,900/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Columbia
Columbia offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Columbia Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Missouri Cities
Kansas City, MO
$47K starting · COL 94
44 colleges
St. Louis, MO
$49K starting · COL 97
23 colleges
Springfield, MO
$40K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Independence, MO
$43K starting · COL 85.8
5 colleges
Lee's Summit, MO
$48K starting · COL 95.5
4 colleges
OFallon, MO
$44K starting · COL 87.3
4 colleges
St. Joseph, MO
$45K starting · COL 90.4
3 colleges
St. Charles, MO
$42K starting · COL 83.4
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Columbia
Prompt Engineering
$42K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$80K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$71K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$74K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$69K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$42K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$67K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$42K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Columbia — 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 Columbia.