DegreeCalc

Cartography Degree in Long Beach, CA — Salary & ROI 2026

Cartography degree analysis for Long Beach, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.

Starting Salary

$72K

COL-adjusted

Mid-Career

$102K

COL-adjusted

ROI Payback

2.8 yrs

in Long Beach

Cost of Living

116

index (100 = avg)

Cartography in Long Beach, CA Overview

Long Beach, California (pop. 466,742) has 14 colleges offering Cartography programs. The local cost of living index of 116 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,546/month. Cartography has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for GIS and Remote Sensing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Long Beach is approximately $71,920.

Category

STEM

Local Colleges

14

Public Tuition

$4,169/yr

Private Tuition

$9,960/yr

Room & Board

$17,446/yr

Avg Fin. Aid

$15,553/yr

Unemployment

6.6%

Graduation Rate

60%

Cartography Salary in Long Beach (COL-Adjusted)

Salaries adjusted for Long Beach's cost of living index of 116 (national average = 100).

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$71,920(+$9,920 vs national)
Mid Career (5-9 yrs)
$102,080(+$14,080 vs national)
Senior Level (15+ yrs)
$133,400(+$18,400 vs national)

Note: National average Cartography salary: $62,000 starting, $88,000 mid-career, $115,000 senior level.Long Beach adjustment factor: 1.16x based on the local cost of living index.

Cartography ROI Calculator for Long Beach

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

Public avg: $4,169 | Private avg: $9,960

Long Beach avg aid: $15,553/yr

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

Total Education Cost

$86,460

tuition + room & board - aid

Annual Earnings Premium

$31,320

vs HS diploma in Long Beach

ROI Payback Period

2.8 years

to break even

Lifetime Return in Long Beach

$29,540

Lifetime earnings premium ($116,000) minus total education cost ($86,460)

Student Loan Payoff for Cartography in Long Beach

Standard Plan (10 years)

Loan Amount$86,460
Monthly Payment$982
Total Interest$31,348
% of Monthly Income16%

Aggressive Plan (5 years)

Loan Amount$86,460
Monthly Payment$1,692
Total Interest$15,041
Interest Savings$16,307

Colleges in Long Beach for Cartography

California State University, Long Beach

public

$6,798/yr

$27,192 total

Long Beach City College

public

$1,540/yr

$6,160 total

Pacific Coast University School of Law

private

$9,960/yr

$39,840 total

Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)

Long Beach City College

$1,540/yr

Top Employers for Cartography in Long Beach

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

USGSEsriGoogleNGA

Key Long Beach Hiring Sectors for STEM

Tech companies

Research labs

Government agencies

Startups

Consulting firms

Common Cartography Job Titles

CartographerGIS AnalystGeospatial Engineer

Cartography Degree in Long Beach — 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 Long Beach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Calculators