Marine Biology Degree in Overland Park, KS — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Overland Park, KS. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$52K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$64K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3.9 yrs
in Overland Park
Cost of Living
103
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Overland Park, KS Overview
Overland Park, Kansas (pop. 197,238) has 13 colleges offering Marine Biology programs. The local cost of living index of 103 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,092/month. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Overland Park is approximately $51,500.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
13
Public Tuition
$3,564/yr
Private Tuition
$48,279/yr
Room & Board
$11,548/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,390/yr
Unemployment
6%
Graduation Rate
54%
Marine Biology Salary in Overland Park (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Overland Park's cost of living index of 103 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Overland Park adjustment factor: 1.03x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Overland Park
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Overland Park tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $3,564 | Private avg: $48,279
Overland Park avg aid: $9,390/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$60,448
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,450
vs HS diploma in Overland Park
ROI Payback Period
3.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Overland Park
$197,052
Lifetime earnings premium ($257,500) minus total education cost ($60,448)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Overland Park
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Overland Park for Marine Biology
Johnson County Community College
public
$3,564/yr
$14,256 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Johnson County Community College
$3,564/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Overland Park
Overland Park offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Overland Park Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Kansas Cities
Wichita, KS
$52K starting · COL 104
20 colleges
Kansas City, KS
$41K starting · COL 82.5
6 colleges
Olathe, KS
$48K starting · COL 96.8
6 colleges
Topeka, KS
$42K starting · COL 84
14 colleges
Lawrence, KS
$54K starting · COL 108
5 colleges
Shawnee, KS
$43K starting · COL 86.5
3 colleges
Lenexa, KS
$48K starting · COL 96.2
3 colleges
Manhattan, KS
$48K starting · COL 95
6 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Overland Park
Prompt Engineering
$52K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$98K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$88K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$91K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Overland Park — 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 Overland Park.