Marine Biology Degree in Montgomery, AL — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Montgomery, AL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$46K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$57K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.4 yrs
in Montgomery
Cost of Living
92
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Montgomery, AL Overview
Montgomery is one of Alabama's top college towns, with 21 institutions and a student population of 17,419. Public tuition averages $10,814/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 Montgomery is approximately $46,000.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
21
Public Tuition
$10,814/yr
Private Tuition
$29,622/yr
Room & Board
$11,372/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,044/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
46%
Marine Biology Salary in Montgomery (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Montgomery's cost of living index of 92 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Montgomery adjustment factor: 0.92x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Montgomery
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Montgomery tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,814 | Private avg: $29,622
Montgomery avg aid: $7,044/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$88,744
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,800
vs HS diploma in Montgomery
ROI Payback Period
6.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Montgomery
$141,256
Lifetime earnings premium ($230,000) minus total education cost ($88,744)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Montgomery
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Montgomery for Marine Biology
Alabama State University
public
$11,068/yr
$44,272 total
Auburn University at Montgomery
public
$10,560/yr
$42,240 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Trenholm State Community College
$4,800/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Montgomery
Montgomery offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Montgomery 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
Mobile, AL
$49K starting · COL 98
12 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 Montgomery
Prompt Engineering
$46K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$87K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$78K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$81K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$75K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$78K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$46K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$74K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Montgomery — 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 Montgomery.