Geographic Information Science Degree in Charlotte, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Geographic Information Science degree analysis for Charlotte, NC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$69K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.3 yrs
in Charlotte
Cost of Living
89
index (100 = avg)
Geographic Information Science in Charlotte, NC Overview
Charlotte is one of North Carolina's top college towns, with 39 institutions and a student population of 80,096. Public tuition averages $7,092/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. Geographic Information Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for GIS Software and Remote Sensing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Charlotte is approximately $44,500, growing to $69,420 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
39
Public Tuition
$7,092/yr
Private Tuition
$29,811/yr
Room & Board
$14,072/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,423/yr
Unemployment
6.1%
Graduation Rate
62%
Geographic Information Science Salary in Charlotte (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Charlotte's cost of living index of 89 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Geographic Information Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Charlotte adjustment factor: 0.89x based on the local cost of living index.
Geographic Information Science ROI Calculator for Charlotte
Estimate your return on investment for a Geographic Information Science degree using local Charlotte tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,092 | Private avg: $29,811
Charlotte avg aid: $11,423/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$84,656
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,350
vs HS diploma in Charlotte
ROI Payback Period
6.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Charlotte
$360,344
Lifetime earnings premium ($445,000) minus total education cost ($84,656)
Student Loan Payoff for Geographic Information Science in Charlotte
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Charlotte for Geographic Information Science
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
public
$7,092/yr
$28,368 total
Queens University of Charlotte
private
$40,588/yr
$162,352 total
Johnson C. Smith University
private
$19,034/yr
$76,136 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Central Piedmont Community College
$2,864/yr
Top Employers for Geographic Information Science in Charlotte
Charlotte offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Geographic Information Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Charlotte Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Geographic Information Science Job Titles
Geographic Information Science in Nearby North Carolina Cities
Raleigh, NC
$42K starting · COL 83
21 colleges
Greensboro, NC
$46K starting · COL 91
17 colleges
Durham, NC
$55K starting · COL 109
25 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$53K starting · COL 106
26 colleges
Fayetteville, NC
$45K starting · COL 90
15 colleges
Cary, NC
$54K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Wilmington, NC
$48K starting · COL 95
5 colleges
High Point, NC
$42K starting · COL 84.5
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Charlotte
Prompt Engineering
$45K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$85K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$76K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$78K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$73K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$71K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Geographic Information Science Degree in Charlotte — 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 Geographic Information Science ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Charlotte.