Marine Biology Degree in Roanoke, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Roanoke, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$44K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$55K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
8.6 yrs
in Roanoke
Cost of Living
88.5
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Roanoke, VA Overview
While Roanoke has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Marine Biology students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $14,393/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 Roanoke is approximately $44,250.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$14,200/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,393/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,213/yr
Unemployment
2.8%
Graduation Rate
63%
Marine Biology Salary in Roanoke (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Roanoke's cost of living index of 88.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Roanoke adjustment factor: 0.89x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Roanoke
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Roanoke tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,200 | Private avg: $38,000
Roanoke avg aid: $11,213/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$114,372
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,275
vs HS diploma in Roanoke
ROI Payback Period
8.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Roanoke
$106,878
Lifetime earnings premium ($221,250) minus total education cost ($114,372)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Roanoke
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Roanoke for Marine Biology
Roanoke State University
public
$14,684/yr
$58,736 total
University of Roanoke
public
$12,724/yr
$50,896 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Roanoke Community College
$5,068/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Roanoke
Roanoke offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Roanoke Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Virginia Cities
Virginia Beach, VA
$44K starting · COL 88
13 colleges
Chesapeake, VA
$46K starting · COL 91
12 colleges
Arlington, VA
$71K starting · COL 142.5
9 colleges
Norfolk, VA
$47K starting · COL 93
16 colleges
Richmond, VA
$50K starting · COL 100
11 colleges
Newport News, VA
$46K starting · COL 92.5
7 colleges
Alexandria, VA
$51K starting · COL 102
8 colleges
Hampton, VA
$49K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Roanoke
Prompt Engineering
$44K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$84K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$75K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$78K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$73K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$44K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$71K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$44K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Roanoke — 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 Roanoke.