Marine Biology Degree in Honolulu, HI — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Honolulu, HI. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$61K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$75K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.5 yrs
in Honolulu
Cost of Living
121
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Honolulu, HI Overview
Honolulu, Hawaii (pop. 350,964) has 12 colleges offering Marine Biology programs. The local cost of living index of 121 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,330/month. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Honolulu is approximately $60,500.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
12
Public Tuition
$12,186/yr
Private Tuition
$27,060/yr
Room & Board
$12,570/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,299/yr
Unemployment
4%
Graduation Rate
54%
Marine Biology Salary in Honolulu (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Honolulu's cost of living index of 121 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Honolulu adjustment factor: 1.21x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Honolulu
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Honolulu tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,186 | Private avg: $27,060
Honolulu avg aid: $12,299/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$99,024
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,150
vs HS diploma in Honolulu
ROI Payback Period
5.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Honolulu
$203,476
Lifetime earnings premium ($302,500) minus total education cost ($99,024)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Honolulu
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Honolulu for Marine Biology
University of Hawaii at Manoa
public
$12,186/yr
$48,744 total
Chaminade University of Honolulu
private
$27,060/yr
$108,240 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Honolulu Community College
$3,432/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Honolulu
Honolulu offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Honolulu Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Other STEM Majors in Honolulu
Prompt Engineering
$61K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$115K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$103K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$106K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$99K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$97K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Honolulu — 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 Honolulu.