Climate Science Degree in Elgin, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Climate Science degree analysis for Elgin, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$57K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$83K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.7 yrs
in Elgin
Cost of Living
79
index (100 = avg)
Climate Science in Elgin, IL Overview
Elgin, Illinois (pop. 114,797) has 13 colleges offering Climate Science programs. The local cost of living index of 79 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $1,008/month. Climate Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Climate Modeling and Data Analysis skills. The adjusted starting salary in Elgin is approximately $56,880.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
13
Public Tuition
$10,014/yr
Private Tuition
$30,900/yr
Room & Board
$9,983/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,897/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
47%
Climate Science Salary in Elgin (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Elgin's cost of living index of 79 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Climate Science salary: $72,000 starting, $105,000 mid-career, $140,000 senior level.Elgin adjustment factor: 0.79x based on the local cost of living index.
Climate Science ROI Calculator for Elgin
Estimate your return on investment for a Climate Science degree using local Elgin tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,014 | Private avg: $30,900
Elgin avg aid: $15,897/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$79,988
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$29,230
vs HS diploma in Elgin
ROI Payback Period
2.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Elgin
$-988
Lifetime earnings premium ($79,000) minus total education cost ($79,988)
Student Loan Payoff for Climate Science in Elgin
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Elgin for Climate Science
Judson University
private
$30,900/yr
$123,600 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Elgin Community College
$4,980/yr
Top Employers for Climate Science in Elgin
Elgin offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Climate Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Elgin Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Climate Science Job Titles
Climate Science in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$78K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Aurora, IL
$67K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$78K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$73K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$65K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Springfield, IL
$66K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$75K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$65K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Elgin
Prompt Engineering
$40K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$75K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$67K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$70K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$65K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$40K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$63K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$40K starting · 3 yr ROI
Climate Science Degree in Elgin — 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 Climate Science ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Elgin.