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Cartography Degree in New York City, NY — Salary & ROI 2026

Cartography degree analysis for New York City, NY. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.

Starting Salary

$103K

COL-adjusted

Mid-Career

$146K

COL-adjusted

ROI Payback

2.3 yrs

in New York City

Cost of Living

166

index (100 = avg)

Cartography in New York City, NY Overview

New York City is one of New York's top college towns, with 49 institutions and a student population of 741,375. Public tuition averages $7,340/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. Cartography has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for GIS and Remote Sensing skills. The adjusted starting salary in New York City is approximately $102,920.

Category

STEM

Local Colleges

49

Public Tuition

$7,340/yr

Private Tuition

$61,846/yr

Room & Board

$18,386/yr

Avg Fin. Aid

$15,784/yr

Unemployment

5.7%

Graduation Rate

70%

Cartography Salary in New York City (COL-Adjusted)

Salaries adjusted for New York City's cost of living index of 166 (national average = 100).

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$102,920(+$40,920 vs national)
Mid Career (5-9 yrs)
$146,080(+$58,080 vs national)
Senior Level (15+ yrs)
$190,900(+$75,900 vs national)

Note: National average Cartography salary: $62,000 starting, $88,000 mid-career, $115,000 senior level.New York City adjustment factor: 1.66x based on the local cost of living index.

Cartography ROI Calculator for New York City

Estimate your return on investment for a Cartography degree using local New York City tuition and cost of living data.

Public avg: $7,340 | Private avg: $61,846

New York City avg aid: $15,784/yr

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

Total Education Cost

$102,904

tuition + room & board - aid

Annual Earnings Premium

$44,820

vs HS diploma in New York City

ROI Payback Period

2.3 years

to break even

Lifetime Return in New York City

$63,096

Lifetime earnings premium ($166,000) minus total education cost ($102,904)

Student Loan Payoff for Cartography in New York City

Standard Plan (10 years)

Loan Amount$102,904
Monthly Payment$1,168
Total Interest$37,310
% of Monthly Income14%

Aggressive Plan (5 years)

Loan Amount$102,904
Monthly Payment$2,013
Total Interest$17,902
Interest Savings$19,408

Colleges in New York City for Cartography

New York University

private

$58,168/yr

$232,672 total

Columbia University

private

$65,524/yr

$262,096 total

CUNY

public

$7,340/yr

$29,360 total

Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)

BMCC

$5,218/yr

Top Employers for Cartography in New York City

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

USGSEsriGoogleNGA

Key New York City Hiring Sectors for STEM

Tech companies

Research labs

Government agencies

Startups

Consulting firms

Common Cartography Job Titles

CartographerGIS AnalystGeospatial Engineer

Cartography Degree in New York City — 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 New York City.

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