Marine Biology Degree in Las Vegas, NV — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Las Vegas, NV. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$58K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$71K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.6 yrs
in Las Vegas
Cost of Living
115
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Las Vegas, NV Overview
Las Vegas is one of Nevada's top college towns, with 45 institutions and a student population of 59,628. Public tuition averages $7,361/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 Las Vegas is approximately $57,500.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
45
Public Tuition
$7,361/yr
Private Tuition
$22,950/yr
Room & Board
$12,522/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,003/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
64%
Marine Biology Salary in Las Vegas (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Las Vegas's cost of living index of 115 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Las Vegas adjustment factor: 1.15x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Las Vegas
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Las Vegas tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,361 | Private avg: $22,950
Las Vegas avg aid: $15,003/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$79,532
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$17,250
vs HS diploma in Las Vegas
ROI Payback Period
4.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Las Vegas
$207,968
Lifetime earnings premium ($287,500) minus total education cost ($79,532)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Las Vegas
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Las Vegas for Marine Biology
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
public
$8,691/yr
$34,764 total
Nevada State University
public
$6,030/yr
$24,120 total
Touro University Nevada
private
$22,950/yr
$91,800 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
College of Southern Nevada
$3,420/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Las Vegas
Las Vegas offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Las Vegas Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Nevada Cities
Henderson, NV
$65K starting · COL 129
12 colleges
Reno, NV
$58K starting · COL 116
21 colleges
North Las Vegas, NV
$49K starting · COL 98.5
10 colleges
Spring Valley, NV
$50K starting · COL 100.2
8 colleges
Sunrise Manor, NV
$48K starting · COL 95.8
7 colleges
Paradise, NV
$50K starting · COL 100.5
7 colleges
Enterprise, NV
$52K starting · COL 103.8
7 colleges
Sparks, NV
$53K starting · COL 105.2
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Las Vegas
Prompt Engineering
$58K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$109K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$98K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$101K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$94K 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 Las Vegas — 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 Las Vegas.