Environmental Science Degree in Joliet, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Environmental Science degree analysis for Joliet, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$54K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$78K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.4 yrs
in Joliet
Cost of Living
108
index (100 = avg)
Environmental Science in Joliet, IL Overview
Joliet, Illinois (pop. 150,362) has 12 colleges offering Environmental Science programs. The local cost of living index of 108 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $880/month. Environmental Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for GIS and Environmental Monitoring skills. The adjusted starting salary in Joliet is approximately $54,000.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
12
Public Tuition
$8,958/yr
Private Tuition
$36,980/yr
Room & Board
$13,014/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,482/yr
Unemployment
4.2%
Graduation Rate
70%
Environmental Science Salary in Joliet (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Joliet's cost of living index of 108 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Environmental Science salary: $50,000 starting, $72,000 mid-career, $90,000 senior level.Joliet adjustment factor: 1.08x based on the local cost of living index.
Environmental Science ROI Calculator for Joliet
Estimate your return on investment for a Environmental Science degree using local Joliet tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,958 | Private avg: $36,980
Joliet avg aid: $7,482/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$87,888
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,200
vs HS diploma in Joliet
ROI Payback Period
5.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Joliet
$290,112
Lifetime earnings premium ($378,000) minus total education cost ($87,888)
Student Loan Payoff for Environmental Science in Joliet
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Joliet for Environmental Science
University of St. Francis
private
$36,980/yr
$147,920 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Joliet Junior College
$4,980/yr
Top Employers for Environmental Science in Joliet
Joliet offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Environmental Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Joliet Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Environmental Science Job Titles
Environmental Science in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$55K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Aurora, IL
$46K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Naperville, IL
$51K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$45K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Elgin, IL
$40K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$46K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$52K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$45K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Joliet
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
Data Science
$89K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$54K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$86K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$54K starting · 3 yr ROI
Environmental Science Degree in Joliet — 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 Environmental Science ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Joliet.