Marine Biology Degree in Hillsboro, OR — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Hillsboro, OR. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$58K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$72K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.1 yrs
in Hillsboro
Cost of Living
115.5
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Hillsboro, OR Overview
While Hillsboro has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Marine Biology students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $13,938/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 Hillsboro is approximately $57,750.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$12,400/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$13,938/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,549/yr
Unemployment
4.4%
Graduation Rate
47%
Marine Biology Salary in Hillsboro (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Hillsboro's cost of living index of 115.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Hillsboro adjustment factor: 1.16x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Hillsboro
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Hillsboro tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,400 | Private avg: $38,000
Hillsboro avg aid: $9,549/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$105,352
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$17,325
vs HS diploma in Hillsboro
ROI Payback Period
6.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Hillsboro
$183,398
Lifetime earnings premium ($288,750) minus total education cost ($105,352)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Hillsboro
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Hillsboro for Marine Biology
Hillsboro State University
public
$12,045/yr
$48,180 total
University of Hillsboro
public
$13,855/yr
$55,420 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Hillsboro Community College
$5,881/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Hillsboro
Hillsboro offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Hillsboro Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Oregon Cities
Portland, OR
$56K starting · COL 112
24 colleges
Eugene, OR
$65K starting · COL 130
14 colleges
Salem, OR
$60K starting · COL 120
14 colleges
Gresham, OR
$55K starting · COL 110.2
5 colleges
Bend, OR
$54K starting · COL 107
2 colleges
Beaverton, OR
$53K starting · COL 105.9
4 colleges
Medford, OR
$56K starting · COL 111
4 colleges
Springfield, OR
$60K starting · COL 120.3
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Hillsboro
Prompt Engineering
$58K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$110K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$98K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$102K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$95K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$92K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Hillsboro — 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 Hillsboro.