Marine Biology Degree in Spokane, WA — Salary & ROI 2026
Marine Biology degree analysis for Spokane, WA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$61K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$75K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.8 yrs
in Spokane
Cost of Living
121
index (100 = avg)
Marine Biology in Spokane, WA Overview
Spokane, Washington (pop. 228,989) has 20 colleges offering Marine Biology programs. The local cost of living index of 121 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,678/month. Marine Biology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Scuba Diving and Marine Ecology. The adjusted starting salary in Spokane is approximately $60,500.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
20
Public Tuition
$13,119/yr
Private Tuition
$49,320/yr
Room & Board
$13,236/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,489/yr
Unemployment
4.6%
Graduation Rate
61%
Marine Biology Salary in Spokane (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Spokane's cost of living index of 121 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Marine Biology salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Spokane adjustment factor: 1.21x based on the local cost of living index.
Marine Biology ROI Calculator for Spokane
Estimate your return on investment for a Marine Biology degree using local Spokane tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,119 | Private avg: $49,320
Spokane avg aid: $8,489/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$105,420
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,150
vs HS diploma in Spokane
ROI Payback Period
5.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Spokane
$197,080
Lifetime earnings premium ($302,500) minus total education cost ($105,420)
Student Loan Payoff for Marine Biology in Spokane
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Spokane for Marine Biology
Gonzaga University
private
$50,380/yr
$201,520 total
Whitworth University
private
$48,260/yr
$193,040 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Spokane Falls Community College
$4,479/yr
Top Employers for Marine Biology in Spokane
Spokane offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Marine Biology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Spokane Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Marine Biology Job Titles
Marine Biology in Nearby Washington Cities
Seattle, WA
$60K starting · COL 120
16 colleges
Tacoma, WA
$57K starting · COL 113
25 colleges
Vancouver, WA
$54K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Bellevue, WA
$89K starting · COL 178.5
6 colleges
Kent, WA
$58K starting · COL 115.8
6 colleges
Everett, WA
$59K starting · COL 118.2
5 colleges
Renton, WA
$61K starting · COL 122.5
5 colleges
Spokane Valley, WA
$62K starting · COL 123.1
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Spokane
Prompt Engineering
$61K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$115K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$103K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$106K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$99K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$97K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Marine Biology Degree in Spokane — 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 Spokane.