Marine Biology Degree in Santa Rosa, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Santa Rosa, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$64K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$79K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.3 yrs
in Santa Rosa
Cost of Living
127
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Santa Rosa, CA Overview
Santa Rosa, California (pop. 178,127) has 12 colleges offering Marine Biology programs. The local cost of living index of 127 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,113/month. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Santa Rosa is approximately $63,500.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
12
Public Tuition
$7,724/yr
Private Tuition
$56,404/yr
Room & Board
$12,528/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,165/yr
Unemployment
6.6%
Graduation Rate
47%
Marine Biology Salary in Santa Rosa (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Santa Rosa's cost of living index of 127 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Santa Rosa adjustment factor: 1.27x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Santa Rosa
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Santa Rosa tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,724 | Private avg: $56,404
Santa Rosa avg aid: $13,165/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$81,008
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$19,050
vs HS diploma in Santa Rosa
ROI Payback Period
4.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Santa Rosa
$236,492
Lifetime earnings premium ($317,500) minus total education cost ($81,008)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Santa Rosa
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Santa Rosa for Marine Biology
Sonoma State University
public
$7,724/yr
$30,896 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Santa Rosa Junior College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Santa Rosa Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$71K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$70K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$65K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$57K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$59K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$56K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$58K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$66K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Santa Rosa
Prompt Engineering
$64K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$121K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$108K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$112K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$104K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$108K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$64K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$102K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Santa Rosa — 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 Santa Rosa.