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2026 Best Value Marine Biology Schools in Washington

[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 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for marine biology students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Marine Biology Schools in Washington

2026 Best Value Marine Biology Schools in Washington

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

Best Value Marine Biology Schools

1

University Of Washington Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA

$12,973 In-State Tuition & Fees

$16,672 Avg Student Debt

$78,466 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is University Of Washington Seattle Campus, our #1 best value for marine biology in Washington. Set in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,973, while out-of-state students pay about $43,209. Marine Biology graduates carry a median of $16,672 in student loans. Marine Biology graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $88,607 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Washington Seattle Campus admits about 39% of applicants.

2

Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA

$9,582 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,040 Avg Student Debt

$62,569 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in marine biology will find it at Western Washington University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Bellingham, Western Washington University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,582, while out-of-state students pay about $28,707. Typical student debt for marine biology graduates is $23,040. Marine Biology graduates of Western Washington University earn a median of $33,323 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,040 median debt. The acceptance rate is 93%.

View All Marine Biology Rankings >

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 · 2 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.