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Cartography Degree in Baton Rouge, LA — Salary & ROI 2026

Cartography degree analysis for Baton Rouge, LA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.

Starting Salary

$51K

COL-adjusted

Mid-Career

$72K

COL-adjusted

ROI Payback

4.2 yrs

in Baton Rouge

Cost of Living

82

index (100 = avg)

Cartography in Baton Rouge, LA Overview

Baton Rouge, Louisiana (pop. 227,470) has 16 colleges offering Cartography programs. The local cost of living index of 82 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $871/month. Cartography has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for GIS and Remote Sensing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Baton Rouge is approximately $50,840.

Category

STEM

Local Colleges

16

Public Tuition

$9,889/yr

Private Tuition

$38,908/yr

Room & Board

$13,546/yr

Avg Fin. Aid

$9,166/yr

Unemployment

5.6%

Graduation Rate

68%

Cartography Salary in Baton Rouge (COL-Adjusted)

Salaries adjusted for Baton Rouge's cost of living index of 82 (national average = 100).

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$50,840($-11,160 vs national)
Mid Career (5-9 yrs)
$72,160($-15,840 vs national)
Senior Level (15+ yrs)
$94,300($-20,700 vs national)

Note: National average Cartography salary: $62,000 starting, $88,000 mid-career, $115,000 senior level.Baton Rouge adjustment factor: 0.82x based on the local cost of living index.

Cartography ROI Calculator for Baton Rouge

Estimate your return on investment for a Cartography degree using local Baton Rouge tuition and cost of living data.

Public avg: $9,889 | Private avg: $38,908

Baton Rouge avg aid: $9,166/yr

Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%

Total Education Cost

$93,740

tuition + room & board - aid

Annual Earnings Premium

$22,140

vs HS diploma in Baton Rouge

ROI Payback Period

4.2 years

to break even

Lifetime Return in Baton Rouge

$-11,740

Lifetime earnings premium ($82,000) minus total education cost ($93,740)

Student Loan Payoff for Cartography in Baton Rouge

Standard Plan (10 years)

Loan Amount$93,740
Monthly Payment$1,064
Total Interest$33,988
% of Monthly Income25%

Aggressive Plan (5 years)

Loan Amount$93,740
Monthly Payment$1,834
Total Interest$16,308
Interest Savings$17,680

Colleges in Baton Rouge for Cartography

Louisiana State University

public

$11,962/yr

$47,848 total

Southern University

public

$7,816/yr

$31,264 total

Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)

Baton Rouge Community College

$4,236/yr

Top Employers for Cartography in Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cartography graduates. National top employers in this field include:

USGSEsriGoogleNGA

Key Baton Rouge Hiring Sectors for STEM

Tech companies

Research labs

Government agencies

Startups

Consulting firms

Common Cartography Job Titles

CartographerGIS AnalystGeospatial Engineer

Cartography Degree in Baton Rouge — 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 Cartography ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Baton Rouge.

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