Climate Science Degree in Surprise, AZ — Salary & ROI 2026
Climate Science degree analysis for Surprise, AZ. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$72K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$105K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.8 yrs
in Surprise
Cost of Living
100.2
index (100 = avg)
Climate Science in Surprise, AZ Overview
Surprise, Arizona (pop. 143,148) has 6 colleges offering Climate Science programs. The local cost of living index of 100.2 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,095/month. Climate Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Climate Modeling and Data Analysis skills. The adjusted starting salary in Surprise is approximately $72,144.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$11,400/yr
Private Tuition
$24,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,357/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,568/yr
Unemployment
3.5%
Graduation Rate
49%
Climate Science Salary in Surprise (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Surprise's cost of living index of 100.2 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Climate Science salary: $72,000 starting, $105,000 mid-career, $140,000 senior level.Surprise adjustment factor: 1.00x based on the local cost of living index.
Climate Science ROI Calculator for Surprise
Estimate your return on investment for a Climate Science degree using local Surprise tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,400 | Private avg: $24,000
Surprise avg aid: $13,568/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$103,028
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$37,074
vs HS diploma in Surprise
ROI Payback Period
2.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Surprise
$-2,828
Lifetime earnings premium ($100,200) minus total education cost ($103,028)
Student Loan Payoff for Climate Science in Surprise
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Surprise for Climate Science
Surprise State University
public
$12,369/yr
$49,476 total
University of Surprise
public
$12,295/yr
$49,180 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Surprise Community College
$5,065/yr
Top Employers for Climate Science in Surprise
Surprise offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Climate Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Surprise Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Climate Science Job Titles
Climate Science in Nearby Arizona Cities
Phoenix, AZ
$109K starting · COL 152
72 colleges
Tucson, AZ
$84K starting · COL 116
24 colleges
Mesa, AZ
$79K starting · COL 110
31 colleges
Chandler, AZ
$89K starting · COL 124
22 colleges
Gilbert, AZ
$86K starting · COL 119
26 colleges
Glendale, AZ
$76K starting · COL 105
16 colleges
Scottsdale, AZ
$91K starting · COL 126
16 colleges
Peoria, AZ
$75K starting · COL 103.8
7 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Surprise
Prompt Engineering
$50K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$95K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$85K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$88K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$85K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$50K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$80K starting · 3 yr ROI
Climate Science Degree in Surprise — 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 Surprise.