Geographic Information Science Degree in Elk Grove, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Geographic Information Science degree analysis for Elk Grove, 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
6.6 yrs
in Elk Grove
Cost of Living
122.1
index (100 = avg)
Geographic Information Science in Elk Grove, CA Overview
Elk Grove, California (pop. 176,124) has 7 colleges offering Geographic Information Science programs. The local cost of living index of 122.1 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,620/month. Geographic Information Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for GIS Software and Remote Sensing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Elk Grove is approximately $61,050, growing to $95,238 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$14,500/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,727/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,323/yr
Unemployment
5.3%
Graduation Rate
72%
Geographic Information Science Salary in Elk Grove (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Elk Grove's cost of living index of 122.1 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Geographic Information Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Elk Grove adjustment factor: 1.22x based on the local cost of living index.
Geographic Information Science ROI Calculator for Elk Grove
Estimate your return on investment for a Geographic Information Science degree using local Elk Grove tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,500 | Private avg: $42,000
Elk Grove avg aid: $14,323/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$120,908
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,315
vs HS diploma in Elk Grove
ROI Payback Period
6.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Elk Grove
$489,592
Lifetime earnings premium ($610,500) minus total education cost ($120,908)
Student Loan Payoff for Geographic Information Science in Elk Grove
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Elk Grove for Geographic Information Science
Elk Grove State University
public
$14,642/yr
$58,568 total
University of Elk Grove
public
$14,455/yr
$57,820 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Elk Grove Community College
$5,858/yr
Top Employers for Geographic Information Science in Elk Grove
Elk Grove offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Geographic Information Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Elk Grove 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 Elk Grove
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 Elk Grove — 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 Elk Grove.