Marine Biology Degree in Miami, FL — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Miami, FL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$49K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$61K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.7 yrs
in Miami
Cost of Living
98
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Miami, FL Overview
Miami, Florida (pop. 442,241) has 12 colleges offering Marine Biology programs. The local cost of living index of 98 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,191/month. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Miami is approximately $49,000.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
12
Public Tuition
$6,556/yr
Private Tuition
$44,890/yr
Room & Board
$10,667/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,348/yr
Unemployment
6.5%
Graduation Rate
45%
Marine Biology Salary in Miami (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Miami's cost of living index of 98 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Miami adjustment factor: 0.98x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Miami
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Miami tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $6,556 | Private avg: $44,890
Miami avg aid: $10,348/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$68,892
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$14,700
vs HS diploma in Miami
ROI Payback Period
4.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Miami
$176,108
Lifetime earnings premium ($245,000) minus total education cost ($68,892)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Miami
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Miami for Marine Biology
University of Miami
private
$56,580/yr
$226,320 total
Florida International University
public
$6,556/yr
$26,224 total
Barry University
private
$33,200/yr
$132,800 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Miami Dade College
$3,588/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Miami
Miami offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Miami Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Florida Cities
Jacksonville, FL
$59K starting · COL 117
35 colleges
Tampa, FL
$51K starting · COL 101
26 colleges
Orlando, FL
$48K starting · COL 96
16 colleges
St. Petersburg, FL
$49K starting · COL 97
22 colleges
Hialeah, FL
$39K starting · COL 78
22 colleges
Port St. Lucie, FL
$49K starting · COL 98.5
8 colleges
Tallahassee, FL
$45K starting · COL 89
11 colleges
Cape Coral, FL
$49K starting · COL 97.8
7 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Miami
Prompt Engineering
$49K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$93K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$83K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$86K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$80K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$78K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Miami — 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 Miami.