BACHELOR'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES

Is a bachelor's degree in Marine Sciences worth it?

Compare cost, debt and earnings across 2 college programs with reportable data.

Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff

−$161,976 over 10 years

National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.

30.2 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−67%Estimated return after 10 years
$53,037Observed earnings · year 4
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your decision

What do you need to compare?

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$53,037 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is the average college-wide net-price context across reporting institutions. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Outcomes at a glance

$53,037Typical earnings four years after completion
$50,659Average earnings five years after completion
$22,400Typical federal student debt
31thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
Not availableDegrees awarded in 2024–25
2College programs reporting earnings

Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 0 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.

A PRACTICAL READ

Four useful answers about Marine Sciences

How much do Marine Sciences bachelor's degree graduates earn?

The national median is $53,037 four years after completion across reportable bachelor's degree programs in this federal field.

How much federal debt do graduates have?

The median reported federal debt is $22,400. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.

Does the college matter for Marine Sciences?

Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $46,292 to $46,292 in observed year-4 earnings.

What careers are related to Marine Sciences?

DegreeVerdict links this field to 7 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median
25th percentile$46,292National median$53,03775th percentile$46,292
2 programs report year‑4 earnings.
BEFORE YOU CHOOSE

Compare price, debt and earnings together

$46,29275th-percentile year-4 earnings among reporting programs
$22,400Median federal debt across programs that report it
1Programs with earnings in the top quarter and debt at or below the median
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION

Three useful places to start

Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.

Highest observed earnings

California State University, Monterey Bay

$59,782 four years after completionSeaside, CA · inspect the full program →
Lowest reported federal debt

University of Maine

$27,000 among completer borrowersOrono, ME · inspect the full program →
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WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1California State University, Monterey Bay$59,7822University of Maine$46,292

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

Career outlook

Jobs this degree may lead to

Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.

Pay and projected demand

Related careers do not share one outlook

Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection

Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.

Natural Sciences Managers$167,220 median wage108,690 jobs nationwide+8.2% projected growth through 2035 · 9,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$79,710–$316,850 typical wage rangePhysical Scientists, All Other$122,570 median wage22,300 jobs nationwide+2.1% projected growth through 2035 · 1,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$67,000–$195,190 typical wage rangeGeoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$101,920 median wage23,470 jobs nationwide+5.1% projected growth through 2035 · 1,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$59,330–$200,230 typical wage rangeBiological Scientists, All Other$98,920 median wage55,850 jobs nationwide+4.7% projected growth through 2035 · 4,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$60,430–$168,010 typical wage rangeEnvironmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$82,220 median wage89,250 jobs nationwide+6.1% projected growth through 2035 · 7,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$52,520–$140,010 typical wage rangePostsecondary Teachers, All Other$77,640 median wage149,840 jobs nationwide+2.0% projected growth through 2035 · 12,500 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$44,300–$160,700 typical wage rangeZoologists and Wildlife Biologists$76,780 median wage18,120 jobs nationwide+3.6% projected growth through 2035 · 1,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$49,100–$126,440 typical wage range

BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.