Marine Biology Degree in Macon, GA — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Macon, GA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$51K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$63K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6 yrs
in Macon
Cost of Living
101
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Macon, GA Overview
Macon, Georgia (pop. 157,346) has 13 colleges offering Marine Biology programs. The local cost of living index of 101 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,007/month. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Macon is approximately $50,500.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
13
Public Tuition
$11,056/yr
Private Tuition
$40,560/yr
Room & Board
$11,733/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,538/yr
Unemployment
6.8%
Graduation Rate
48%
Marine Biology Salary in Macon (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Macon's cost of living index of 101 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Macon adjustment factor: 1.01x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Macon
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Macon tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,056 | Private avg: $40,560
Macon avg aid: $10,538/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$91,156
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,150
vs HS diploma in Macon
ROI Payback Period
6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Macon
$161,344
Lifetime earnings premium ($252,500) minus total education cost ($91,156)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Macon
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Macon for Marine Biology
Mercer University
private
$40,560/yr
$162,240 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Central Georgia Technical College
$3,152/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Macon
Macon offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Macon Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Georgia Cities
Atlanta, GA
$51K starting · COL 101
23 colleges
Columbus, GA
$42K starting · COL 84.5
8 colleges
Augusta, GA
$42K starting · COL 83
11 colleges
Savannah, GA
$48K starting · COL 95
12 colleges
Athens, GA
$52K starting · COL 103
11 colleges
Sandy Springs, GA
$56K starting · COL 112.5
5 colleges
Roswell, GA
$54K starting · COL 108.2
4 colleges
Johns Creek, GA
$56K starting · COL 112.8
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Macon
Prompt Engineering
$51K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$96K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$86K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$89K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$83K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$81K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Macon — 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 Macon.