Geographic Information Science Degree in Chula Vista, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Geographic Information Science degree analysis for Chula Vista, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$61K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$95K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3.6 yrs
in Chula Vista
Cost of Living
122
index (100 = avg)
Geographic Information Science in Chula Vista, CA Overview
Chula Vista is one of California's top college towns, with 25 institutions and a student population of 22,971. Public tuition averages $1,540/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 Chula Vista is approximately $61,000, growing to $95,160 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
25
Public Tuition
$1,540/yr
Private Tuition
$46,515/yr
Room & Board
$14,719/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,403/yr
Unemployment
5.6%
Graduation Rate
65%
Geographic Information Science Salary in Chula Vista (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Chula Vista's cost of living index of 122 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Geographic Information Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Chula Vista adjustment factor: 1.22x based on the local cost of living index.
Geographic Information Science ROI Calculator for Chula Vista
Estimate your return on investment for a Geographic Information Science degree using local Chula Vista tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $1,540 | Private avg: $46,515
Chula Vista avg aid: $11,403/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$65,036
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,300
vs HS diploma in Chula Vista
ROI Payback Period
3.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Chula Vista
$544,964
Lifetime earnings premium ($610,000) minus total education cost ($65,036)
Student Loan Payoff for Geographic Information Science in Chula Vista
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Chula Vista for Geographic Information Science
Southwestern College
public
$1,540/yr
$6,160 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Southwestern College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Geographic Information Science in Chula Vista
Chula Vista offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Geographic Information Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Chula Vista Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Geographic Information Science Job Titles
Geographic Information Science in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$71K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$70K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$65K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$57K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$59K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$56K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$58K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$66K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Chula Vista
Prompt Engineering
$61K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$116K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$104K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$107K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$100K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$104K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$98K starting · 3 yr ROI
Geographic Information Science Degree in Chula Vista — 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 Chula Vista.