Marine Biology Degree in Franklin, TN — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Franklin, TN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$59K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$73K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.8 yrs
in Franklin
Cost of Living
118.5
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Franklin, TN Overview
While Franklin has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Marine Biology students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,807/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 Franklin is approximately $59,250.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,100/yr
Private Tuition
$32,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,807/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,962/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
56%
Marine Biology Salary in Franklin (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Franklin's cost of living index of 118.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Franklin adjustment factor: 1.19x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Franklin
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Franklin tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,100 | Private avg: $32,000
Franklin avg aid: $15,962/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$103,628
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$17,775
vs HS diploma in Franklin
ROI Payback Period
5.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Franklin
$192,622
Lifetime earnings premium ($296,250) minus total education cost ($103,628)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Franklin
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Franklin for Marine Biology
Franklin State University
public
$10,603/yr
$42,412 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Franklin Community College
$5,615/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Franklin
Franklin offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Franklin Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Tennessee Cities
Nashville, TN
$46K starting · COL 92
35 colleges
Memphis, TN
$47K starting · COL 93
22 colleges
Knoxville, TN
$43K starting · COL 85
5 colleges
Chattanooga, TN
$40K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Clarksville, TN
$45K starting · COL 90
9 colleges
Murfreesboro, TN
$46K starting · COL 91
10 colleges
Jackson, TN
$41K starting · COL 82.5
3 colleges
Johnson City, TN
$53K starting · COL 105
6 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Franklin
Prompt Engineering
$59K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$113K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$101K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$104K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$97K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$59K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$95K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$59K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Franklin — 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 Franklin.