Climate Science Degree in Joliet, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Climate Science degree analysis for Joliet, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$78K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$113K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.2 yrs
in Joliet
Cost of Living
108
index (100 = avg)
Climate Science in Joliet, IL Overview
Joliet, Illinois (pop. 150,362) has 12 colleges offering Climate Science programs. The local cost of living index of 108 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $880/month. Climate Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Climate Modeling and Data Analysis skills. The adjusted starting salary in Joliet is approximately $77,760.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
12
Public Tuition
$8,958/yr
Private Tuition
$36,980/yr
Room & Board
$13,014/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,482/yr
Unemployment
4.2%
Graduation Rate
70%
Climate Science Salary in Joliet (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Joliet's cost of living index of 108 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Climate Science salary: $72,000 starting, $105,000 mid-career, $140,000 senior level.Joliet adjustment factor: 1.08x based on the local cost of living index.
Climate Science ROI Calculator for Joliet
Estimate your return on investment for a Climate Science degree using local Joliet tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,958 | Private avg: $36,980
Joliet avg aid: $7,482/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$87,888
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$39,960
vs HS diploma in Joliet
ROI Payback Period
2.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Joliet
$20,112
Lifetime earnings premium ($108,000) minus total education cost ($87,888)
Student Loan Payoff for Climate Science in Joliet
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Joliet for Climate Science
University of St. Francis
private
$36,980/yr
$147,920 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Joliet Junior College
$4,980/yr
Top Employers for Climate Science in Joliet
Joliet offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Climate Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Joliet 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
Naperville, IL
$73K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$65K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Elgin, IL
$57K starting · COL 79
13 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 Joliet
Prompt Engineering
$54K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$103K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$92K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$95K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$89K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$54K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$86K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$54K starting · 3 yr ROI
Climate Science Degree in Joliet — 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 Joliet.