Marine Biology Degree in Racine, WI — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Racine, WI. 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
7.2 yrs
in Racine
Cost of Living
85.8
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Racine, WI Overview
While Racine has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Marine Biology students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $12,562/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Racine is approximately $42,900.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,600/yr
Private Tuition
$34,000/yr
Room & Board
$12,562/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,051/yr
Unemployment
2.1%
Graduation Rate
72%
Marine Biology Salary in Racine (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Racine's cost of living index of 85.8 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Racine adjustment factor: 0.86x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Racine
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Racine tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,600 | Private avg: $34,000
Racine avg aid: $8,051/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$92,648
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$12,870
vs HS diploma in Racine
ROI Payback Period
7.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Racine
$121,852
Lifetime earnings premium ($214,500) minus total education cost ($92,648)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Racine
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Racine for Marine Biology
Racine State University
public
$11,121/yr
$44,484 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Racine Community College
$5,143/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Racine
Racine offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Racine Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Wisconsin Cities
Milwaukee, WI
$47K starting · COL 94
33 colleges
Madison, WI
$45K starting · COL 89
11 colleges
Green Bay, WI
$43K starting · COL 86
6 colleges
Kenosha, WI
$53K starting · COL 106
8 colleges
Appleton, WI
$40K starting · COL 79
6 colleges
Waukesha, WI
$45K starting · COL 90.5
3 colleges
Eau Claire, WI
$43K starting · COL 86
2 colleges
Oshkosh, WI
$54K starting · COL 107
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Racine
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
$70K 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 Racine — 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 Racine.