Data Science Degree in Erie, PA — Salary & ROI 2026
Data Science degree analysis for Erie, PA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$98K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$150K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.6 yrs
in Erie
Cost of Living
120
index (100 = avg)
Data Science in Erie, PA Overview
While Erie has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Data Science students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $21,896/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Data Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Python and Machine Learning skills. The adjusted starting salary in Erie is approximately $98,400, growing to $150,000 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$15,346/yr
Private Tuition
$35,160/yr
Room & Board
$21,896/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,237/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
63%
Data Science Salary in Erie (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Erie's cost of living index of 120 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Data Science salary: $82,000 starting, $125,000 mid-career, $155,000 senior level.Erie adjustment factor: 1.20x based on the local cost of living index.
Data Science ROI Calculator for Erie
Estimate your return on investment for a Data Science degree using local Erie tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $15,346 | Private avg: $35,160
Erie avg aid: $15,237/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$148,968
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$56,400
vs HS diploma in Erie
ROI Payback Period
2.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Erie
$1,171,032
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,320,000) minus total education cost ($148,968)
Student Loan Payoff for Data Science in Erie
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Erie for Data Science
Gannon University
private
$35,160/yr
$140,640 total
Penn State Behrend
public
$15,346/yr
$61,384 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Erie Community College
$5,070/yr
Top Employers for Data Science in Erie
Erie offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Data Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Erie Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Data Science Job Titles
Data Science in Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Philadelphia, PA
$123K starting · COL 150
42 colleges
Pittsburgh, PA
$94K starting · COL 115
12 colleges
Allentown, PA
$93K starting · COL 113
5 colleges
Reading, PA
$97K starting · COL 118
3 colleges
Upper Darby, PA
$77K starting · COL 94.5
4 colleges
Scranton, PA
$98K starting · COL 120
8 colleges
Bethlehem, PA
$103K starting · COL 125
7 colleges
Lower Merion, PA
$75K starting · COL 91.4
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Erie
Prompt Engineering
$60K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$114K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$102K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$106K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$60K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$96K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$60K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$60K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Data Science Degree in Erie — 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 Erie.