Marine Biology Degree in Irving, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Irving, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$52K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$64K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5 yrs
in Irving
Cost of Living
104
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Irving, TX Overview
Irving is one of Texas's top college towns, with 23 institutions and a student population of 13,394. Public tuition averages $7,612/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Irving is approximately $52,000.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
23
Public Tuition
$7,612/yr
Private Tuition
$44,780/yr
Room & Board
$11,777/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,860/yr
Unemployment
5.2%
Graduation Rate
47%
Marine Biology Salary in Irving (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Irving's cost of living index of 104 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Irving adjustment factor: 1.04x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Irving
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Irving tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,612 | Private avg: $44,780
Irving avg aid: $12,860/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$77,556
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,600
vs HS diploma in Irving
ROI Payback Period
5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Irving
$182,444
Lifetime earnings premium ($260,000) minus total education cost ($77,556)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Irving
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Irving for Marine Biology
University of Dallas
private
$44,780/yr
$179,120 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
North Lake College
$2,220/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Irving
Irving offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Irving Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$58K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$60K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$52K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$54K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$51K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$47K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$47K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$41K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Irving
Prompt Engineering
$52K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$99K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$88K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$92K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$85K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$88K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$83K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Irving — 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 Irving.