Marine Biology Degree in Lowell, MA — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Lowell, MA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$56K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$70K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7.3 yrs
in Lowell
Cost of Living
112.5
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Lowell, MA Overview
While Lowell has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Marine Biology students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $14,748/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 Lowell is approximately $56,250.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$16,100/yr
Private Tuition
$48,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,748/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,502/yr
Unemployment
3%
Graduation Rate
73%
Marine Biology Salary in Lowell (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lowell's cost of living index of 112.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Lowell adjustment factor: 1.13x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Lowell
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Lowell tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $16,100 | Private avg: $48,000
Lowell avg aid: $14,502/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$123,392
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,875
vs HS diploma in Lowell
ROI Payback Period
7.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lowell
$157,858
Lifetime earnings premium ($281,250) minus total education cost ($123,392)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Lowell
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lowell for Marine Biology
Lowell State University
public
$16,448/yr
$65,792 total
University of Lowell
public
$18,005/yr
$72,020 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Lowell Community College
$6,184/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Lowell
Lowell offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lowell Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Massachusetts Cities
Boston, MA
$69K starting · COL 137
24 colleges
Worcester, MA
$59K starting · COL 117
11 colleges
Springfield, MA
$67K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Cambridge, MA
$67K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Brockton, MA
$54K starting · COL 108.5
5 colleges
Quincy, MA
$64K starting · COL 128.5
4 colleges
New Bedford, MA
$51K starting · COL 102.5
4 colleges
Lynn, MA
$59K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Lowell
Prompt Engineering
$56K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$107K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$96K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$99K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$92K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$90K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Lowell — 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 Lowell.