Data Science Degree in Tempe, AZ — Salary & ROI 2026
Data Science degree analysis for Tempe, AZ. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$93K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$141K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.4 yrs
in Tempe
Cost of Living
113
index (100 = avg)
Data Science in Tempe, AZ Overview
While Tempe has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Data Science students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $19,552/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 Tempe is approximately $92,660, growing to $141,250 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$12,467/yr
Private Tuition
$40,205/yr
Room & Board
$19,552/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,200/yr
Unemployment
6.9%
Graduation Rate
73%
Data Science Salary in Tempe (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Tempe's cost of living index of 113 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Data Science salary: $82,000 starting, $125,000 mid-career, $155,000 senior level.Tempe adjustment factor: 1.13x based on the local cost of living index.
Data Science ROI Calculator for Tempe
Estimate your return on investment for a Data Science degree using local Tempe tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,467 | Private avg: $40,205
Tempe avg aid: $15,200/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$128,076
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$53,110
vs HS diploma in Tempe
ROI Payback Period
2.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Tempe
$1,114,924
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,243,000) minus total education cost ($128,076)
Student Loan Payoff for Data Science in Tempe
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Tempe for Data Science
Arizona State University
public
$12,467/yr
$49,868 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Rio Salado College
$2,580/yr
Top Employers for Data Science in Tempe
Tempe offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Data Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Tempe Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Data Science Job Titles
Data Science in Nearby Arizona Cities
Phoenix, AZ
$125K starting · COL 152
72 colleges
Tucson, AZ
$95K starting · COL 116
24 colleges
Mesa, AZ
$90K starting · COL 110
31 colleges
Chandler, AZ
$102K starting · COL 124
22 colleges
Gilbert, AZ
$98K starting · COL 119
26 colleges
Glendale, AZ
$86K starting · COL 105
16 colleges
Scottsdale, AZ
$103K starting · COL 126
16 colleges
Peoria, AZ
$85K starting · COL 103.8
7 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Tempe
Prompt Engineering
$57K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$107K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$96K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$99K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$57K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$90K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$57K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$57K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Data Science Degree in Tempe — 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 Tempe.