Data Science Degree in Lawrence, KS — Salary & ROI 2026
Data Science degree analysis for Lawrence, KS. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$89K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$135K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.5 yrs
in Lawrence
Cost of Living
108
index (100 = avg)
Data Science in Lawrence, KS Overview
While Lawrence has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Data Science students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $12,971/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 Lawrence is approximately $88,560, growing to $135,000 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$5,898/yr
Private Tuition
$33,400/yr
Room & Board
$12,971/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,187/yr
Unemployment
6.5%
Graduation Rate
53%
Data Science Salary in Lawrence (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lawrence's cost of living index of 108 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Data Science salary: $82,000 starting, $125,000 mid-career, $155,000 senior level.Lawrence adjustment factor: 1.08x based on the local cost of living index.
Data Science ROI Calculator for Lawrence
Estimate your return on investment for a Data Science degree using local Lawrence tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $5,898 | Private avg: $33,400
Lawrence avg aid: $12,187/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$75,476
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$50,760
vs HS diploma in Lawrence
ROI Payback Period
1.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lawrence
$1,112,524
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,188,000) minus total education cost ($75,476)
Student Loan Payoff for Data Science in Lawrence
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lawrence for Data Science
University of Kansas
public
$11,166/yr
$44,664 total
Haskell Indian Nations University
public
$630/yr
$2,520 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Johnson County Community College
$3,564/yr
Top Employers for Data Science in Lawrence
Lawrence offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Data Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lawrence Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Data Science Job Titles
Data Science in Nearby Kansas Cities
Wichita, KS
$85K starting · COL 104
20 colleges
Overland Park, KS
$84K starting · COL 103
13 colleges
Kansas City, KS
$68K starting · COL 82.5
6 colleges
Olathe, KS
$79K starting · COL 96.8
6 colleges
Topeka, KS
$69K starting · COL 84
14 colleges
Shawnee, KS
$71K starting · COL 86.5
3 colleges
Lenexa, KS
$79K starting · COL 96.2
3 colleges
Manhattan, KS
$78K starting · COL 95
6 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Lawrence
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
Actuarial Science
$54K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$86K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$54K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$54K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Data Science Degree in Lawrence — 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 Lawrence.