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2026 Best Value Marine Biology Schools in Massachusetts

[Marine Biology](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/ecology-evolution-systematics-population-biology/marine-biology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for marine biology students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Marine Biology Schools in Massachusetts

2026 Best Value Marine Biology Schools in Massachusetts

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in marine biology, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Marine Biology Schools

1

Boston University
Boston, MA

$68,102 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,000 Avg Student Debt

$83,238 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked Boston University the best value for a degree in marine biology in Massachusetts. Set in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,102. Marine Biology graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Marine Biology graduates of Boston University earn a median of $70,479 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.

2

Northeastern University
Boston, MA

$66,162 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,611 Avg Student Debt

$92,538 Median Earnings (10yr)

Northeastern University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in marine biology, landing the #2 spot this year. Northeastern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $66,162. Marine Biology graduates carry a median of $25,611 in student loans. Soon after graduation, marine biology degree recipients from Northeastern University generally make around $39,255. Set against $25,611 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 5%.

View All Marine Biology Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.