2026 Best Value Marine Biology Schools in Hawaii
[Marine Biology](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/ecology-evolution-systematics-population-biology/marine-biology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for marine biology students.
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2026 Best Value Marine Biology Schools in Hawaii
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the marine biology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Marine Biology Schools
University Of Hawaii At Hilo tops our 2026 list of the best value marine biology schools in Hawaii. University Of Hawaii At Hilo is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Hilo. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,838, compared with $20,798 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,500 to complete the marine biology program here. Marine Biology graduates of University Of Hawaii At Hilo earn a median of $48,141 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,500 median debt. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Hawaii At Manoa came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value marine biology schools. Set in the city of Honolulu, University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,186, while out-of-state students pay about $34,218. Students borrow a median of $25,458 to complete the marine biology program here. Marine Biology graduates of University Of Hawaii At Manoa earn a median of $25,820 early in their careers. Set against $25,458 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Hawaii At Manoa admits about 87% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Hawaii Pacific University one of the best values for marine biology. Located in the city of Honolulu, Hawaii Pacific University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,392. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the marine biology program here. Early-career marine biology graduates make about $25,499. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Hawaii Pacific University admits about 86% of applicants.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
