Marine Biology Degree in Duluth, MN — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Duluth, 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
7.1 yrs
in Duluth
Cost of Living
100
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Duluth, MN Overview
While Duluth has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Marine Biology students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $12,662/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 Duluth is approximately $50,000.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$13,872/yr
Private Tuition
$41,612/yr
Room & Board
$12,662/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,990/yr
Unemployment
3.2%
Graduation Rate
64%
Marine Biology Salary in Duluth (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Duluth's cost of living index of 100 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Duluth adjustment factor: 1.00x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Duluth
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Duluth tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,872 | Private avg: $41,612
Duluth avg aid: $15,990/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$106,136
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,000
vs HS diploma in Duluth
ROI Payback Period
7.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Duluth
$143,864
Lifetime earnings premium ($250,000) minus total education cost ($106,136)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Duluth
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Duluth for Marine Biology
University of Minnesota Duluth
public
$13,872/yr
$55,488 total
College of St. Scholastica
private
$41,612/yr
$166,448 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Lake Superior College
$5,772/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Duluth
Duluth offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Duluth 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
Bloomington, MN
$50K starting · COL 100.2
4 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 Duluth
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 Duluth — 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 Duluth.