Data Science Degree in Waukegan, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Data Science degree analysis for Waukegan, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$74K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$113K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.7 yrs
in Waukegan
Cost of Living
90.3
index (100 = avg)
Data Science in Waukegan, IL Overview
While Waukegan has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Data Science students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $13,641/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 Waukegan is approximately $74,046, growing to $112,875 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$15,400/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$13,641/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,734/yr
Unemployment
5.1%
Graduation Rate
74%
Data Science Salary in Waukegan (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Waukegan's cost of living index of 90.3 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Data Science salary: $82,000 starting, $125,000 mid-career, $155,000 senior level.Waukegan adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Data Science ROI Calculator for Waukegan
Estimate your return on investment for a Data Science degree using local Waukegan tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $15,400 | Private avg: $38,000
Waukegan avg aid: $13,734/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$116,164
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$42,441
vs HS diploma in Waukegan
ROI Payback Period
2.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Waukegan
$877,136
Lifetime earnings premium ($993,300) minus total education cost ($116,164)
Student Loan Payoff for Data Science in Waukegan
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Waukegan for Data Science
Waukegan State University
public
$15,619/yr
$62,476 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Waukegan Community College
$4,848/yr
Top Employers for Data Science in Waukegan
Waukegan offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Data Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Waukegan Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Data Science Job Titles
Data Science in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$89K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Aurora, IL
$76K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$89K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$84K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$74K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Elgin, IL
$65K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$75K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$85K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Waukegan
Prompt Engineering
$45K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$86K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$77K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$79K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$72K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$45K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Data Science Degree in Waukegan — 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 Waukegan.