Data Science Degree in Baltimore, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Data Science degree analysis for Baltimore, MD. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$107K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$163K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.2 yrs
in Baltimore
Cost of Living
130
index (100 = avg)
Data Science in Baltimore, MD Overview
Baltimore is one of Maryland's top college towns, with 22 institutions and a student population of 30,415. Public tuition averages $12,096/year here — near the national average for public universities. Data Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Python and Machine Learning skills. The adjusted starting salary in Baltimore is approximately $106,600, growing to $162,500 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
22
Public Tuition
$12,096/yr
Private Tuition
$56,325/yr
Room & Board
$21,745/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,793/yr
Unemployment
6.3%
Graduation Rate
58%
Data Science Salary in Baltimore (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Baltimore's cost of living index of 130 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Data Science salary: $82,000 starting, $125,000 mid-career, $155,000 senior level.Baltimore adjustment factor: 1.30x based on the local cost of living index.
Data Science ROI Calculator for Baltimore
Estimate your return on investment for a Data Science degree using local Baltimore tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,096 | Private avg: $56,325
Baltimore avg aid: $8,793/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$135,364
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$61,100
vs HS diploma in Baltimore
ROI Payback Period
2.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Baltimore
$1,294,636
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,430,000) minus total education cost ($135,364)
Student Loan Payoff for Data Science in Baltimore
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Baltimore for Data Science
Johns Hopkins University
private
$60,480/yr
$241,920 total
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
public
$12,096/yr
$48,384 total
Loyola University Maryland
private
$52,170/yr
$208,680 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Baltimore City Community College
$3,768/yr
Top Employers for Data Science in Baltimore
Baltimore offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Data Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Baltimore Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Data Science Job Titles
Data Science in Nearby Maryland Cities
Columbia, MD
$104K starting · COL 127.2
4 colleges
Silver Spring, MD
$100K starting · COL 122.5
4 colleges
Frederick, MD
$92K starting · COL 112.5
4 colleges
Waldorf, MD
$99K starting · COL 120.7
4 colleges
Ellicott City, MD
$94K starting · COL 114.2
3 colleges
Glen Burnie, MD
$89K starting · COL 108.8
3 colleges
Rockville, MD
$105K starting · COL 128.5
3 colleges
Bethesda, MD
$96K starting · COL 116.7
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Baltimore
Prompt Engineering
$65K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$124K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$111K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$114K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$65K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$104K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$65K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$65K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Data Science Degree in Baltimore — 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 Data Science ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Baltimore.