Marine Biology Degree in High Point, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for High Point, NC. 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
6.9 yrs
in High Point
Cost of Living
84.5
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in High Point, NC Overview
While High Point has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Marine Biology students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $12,724/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 High Point is approximately $42,250.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$9,200/yr
Private Tuition
$34,000/yr
Room & Board
$12,724/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,013/yr
Unemployment
3%
Graduation Rate
60%
Marine Biology Salary in High Point (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for High Point's cost of living index of 84.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.High Point adjustment factor: 0.84x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for High Point
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local High Point tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,200 | Private avg: $34,000
High Point avg aid: $8,013/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$87,696
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$12,675
vs HS diploma in High Point
ROI Payback Period
6.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in High Point
$123,554
Lifetime earnings premium ($211,250) minus total education cost ($87,696)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in High Point
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in High Point for Marine Biology
High Point State University
public
$9,967/yr
$39,868 total
University of High Point
public
$9,547/yr
$38,188 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
High Point Community College
$5,591/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in High Point
High Point offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key High Point Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby North Carolina Cities
Charlotte, NC
$45K starting · COL 89
39 colleges
Raleigh, NC
$42K starting · COL 83
21 colleges
Greensboro, NC
$46K starting · COL 91
17 colleges
Durham, NC
$55K starting · COL 109
25 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$53K starting · COL 106
26 colleges
Fayetteville, NC
$45K starting · COL 90
15 colleges
Cary, NC
$54K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Wilmington, NC
$48K starting · COL 95
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in High Point
Prompt Engineering
$42K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$80K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$72K 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
$68K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$42K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in High Point — 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 High Point.