Marine Biology Degree in Mobile, AL — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Mobile, AL. 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
6.7 yrs
in Mobile
Cost of Living
98
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Mobile, AL Overview
Mobile, Alabama (pop. 187,041) 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 $1,083/month. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Mobile is approximately $49,000.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
12
Public Tuition
$11,100/yr
Private Tuition
$41,360/yr
Room & Board
$13,457/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,004/yr
Unemployment
5.2%
Graduation Rate
73%
Marine Biology Salary in Mobile (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Mobile'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.Mobile adjustment factor: 0.98x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Mobile
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Mobile tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,100 | Private avg: $41,360
Mobile avg aid: $12,004/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$98,228
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$14,700
vs HS diploma in Mobile
ROI Payback Period
6.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Mobile
$146,772
Lifetime earnings premium ($245,000) minus total education cost ($98,228)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Mobile
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Mobile for Marine Biology
University of South Alabama
public
$11,100/yr
$44,400 total
Spring Hill College
private
$41,360/yr
$165,440 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Bishop State Community College
$4,800/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Mobile
Mobile offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Mobile Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Alabama Cities
Huntsville, AL
$49K starting · COL 98
21 colleges
Birmingham, AL
$44K starting · COL 88
10 colleges
Montgomery, AL
$46K starting · COL 92
21 colleges
Tuscaloosa, AL
$39K starting · COL 78
8 colleges
Hoover, AL
$48K starting · COL 95.8
4 colleges
Auburn, AL
$52K starting · COL 103
2 colleges
Dothan, AL
$41K starting · COL 82.5
3 colleges
Decatur, AL
$41K starting · COL 82.8
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Mobile
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
Astrophysics
$83K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$78K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Mobile — 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 Mobile.