Data Science Degree in Hayward, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Data Science degree analysis for Hayward, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$107K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$164K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.4 yrs
in Hayward
Cost of Living
131
index (100 = avg)
Data Science in Hayward, CA Overview
While Hayward has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Data Science students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $14,898/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 Hayward is approximately $107,420, growing to $163,750 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$6,972/yr
Private Tuition
$44,745/yr
Room & Board
$14,898/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,102/yr
Unemployment
3.2%
Graduation Rate
63%
Data Science Salary in Hayward (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Hayward's cost of living index of 131 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Data Science salary: $82,000 starting, $125,000 mid-career, $155,000 senior level.Hayward adjustment factor: 1.31x based on the local cost of living index.
Data Science ROI Calculator for Hayward
Estimate your return on investment for a Data Science degree using local Hayward tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $6,972 | Private avg: $44,745
Hayward avg aid: $13,102/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$87,480
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$61,570
vs HS diploma in Hayward
ROI Payback Period
1.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Hayward
$1,353,520
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,441,000) minus total education cost ($87,480)
Student Loan Payoff for Data Science in Hayward
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Hayward for Data Science
California State University, East Bay
public
$6,972/yr
$27,888 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Chabot College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Data Science in Hayward
Hayward offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Data Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Hayward Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Data Science Job Titles
Data Science in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$116K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$115K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$106K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$93K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$97K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$92K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$95K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$108K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Hayward
Prompt Engineering
$66K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$124K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$111K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$115K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$111K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$66K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$105K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$66K starting · 3 yr ROI
Data Science Degree in Hayward — 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 Hayward.