Marine Biology Degree in Sparks, NV — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Sparks, NV. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$53K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$65K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6 yrs
in Sparks
Cost of Living
105.2
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Sparks, NV Overview
While Sparks has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Marine Biology students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $14,754/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 Sparks is approximately $52,600.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$8,900/yr
Private Tuition
$24,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,754/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,917/yr
Unemployment
5.8%
Graduation Rate
64%
Marine Biology Salary in Sparks (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Sparks's cost of living index of 105.2 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Sparks adjustment factor: 1.05x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Sparks
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Sparks tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,900 | Private avg: $24,000
Sparks avg aid: $11,917/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$94,616
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,780
vs HS diploma in Sparks
ROI Payback Period
6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Sparks
$168,384
Lifetime earnings premium ($263,000) minus total education cost ($94,616)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Sparks
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Sparks for Marine Biology
Sparks State University
public
$8,021/yr
$32,084 total
University of Sparks
public
$8,296/yr
$33,184 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Sparks Community College
$5,982/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Sparks
Sparks offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Sparks Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Nevada Cities
Las Vegas, NV
$58K starting · COL 115
45 colleges
Henderson, NV
$65K starting · COL 129
12 colleges
Reno, NV
$58K starting · COL 116
21 colleges
North Las Vegas, NV
$49K starting · COL 98.5
10 colleges
Spring Valley, NV
$50K starting · COL 100.2
8 colleges
Sunrise Manor, NV
$48K starting · COL 95.8
7 colleges
Paradise, NV
$50K starting · COL 100.5
7 colleges
Enterprise, NV
$52K starting · COL 103.8
7 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Sparks
Prompt Engineering
$53K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$100K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$89K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$93K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$86K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Sparks — 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 Sparks.