Marine Biology Degree in Norman, OK — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Norman, OK. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$43K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$53K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.8 yrs
in Norman
Cost of Living
86
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Norman, OK Overview
Norman, Oklahoma (pop. 128,026) has 10 colleges offering Marine Biology programs. The local cost of living index of 86 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $763/month. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Norman is approximately $43,000.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
10
Public Tuition
$6,023/yr
Private Tuition
$37,405/yr
Room & Board
$9,577/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,871/yr
Unemployment
5.7%
Graduation Rate
65%
Marine Biology Salary in Norman (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Norman's cost of living index of 86 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Norman adjustment factor: 0.86x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Norman
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Norman tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $6,023 | Private avg: $37,405
Norman avg aid: $10,871/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$62,400
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$12,900
vs HS diploma in Norman
ROI Payback Period
4.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Norman
$152,600
Lifetime earnings premium ($215,000) minus total education cost ($62,400)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Norman
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Norman for Marine Biology
University of Oklahoma
public
$6,023/yr
$24,092 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Moore Norman Technology Center
$3,870/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Norman
Norman offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Norman Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Oklahoma Cities
Oklahoma City, OK
$49K starting · COL 97
37 colleges
Tulsa, OK
$42K starting · COL 84
15 colleges
Broken Arrow, OK
$46K starting · COL 91.8
5 colleges
Edmond, OK
$48K starting · COL 95.2
4 colleges
Lawton, OK
$41K starting · COL 82.5
4 colleges
Moore, OK
$45K starting · COL 89.3
3 colleges
Midwest City, OK
$46K starting · COL 91.1
3 colleges
Stillwater, OK
$44K starting · COL 87.3
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Norman
Prompt Engineering
$43K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$82K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$73K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$76K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$71K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$43K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$69K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$43K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Norman — 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 Norman.