Geographic Information Science Degree in Escondido, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Geographic Information Science degree analysis for Escondido, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$69K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$108K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.8 yrs
in Escondido
Cost of Living
138.7
index (100 = avg)
Geographic Information Science in Escondido, CA Overview
Escondido, California (pop. 151,038) has 6 colleges offering Geographic Information Science programs. The local cost of living index of 138.7 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,920/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 Escondido is approximately $69,350, growing to $108,186 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$14,500/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,517/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,955/yr
Unemployment
4.1%
Graduation Rate
55%
Geographic Information Science Salary in Escondido (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Escondido's cost of living index of 138.7 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Geographic Information Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Escondido adjustment factor: 1.39x based on the local cost of living index.
Geographic Information Science ROI Calculator for Escondido
Estimate your return on investment for a Geographic Information Science degree using local Escondido tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,500 | Private avg: $42,000
Escondido avg aid: $11,955/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$120,068
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$20,805
vs HS diploma in Escondido
ROI Payback Period
5.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Escondido
$573,432
Lifetime earnings premium ($693,500) minus total education cost ($120,068)
Student Loan Payoff for Geographic Information Science in Escondido
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Escondido for Geographic Information Science
Escondido State University
public
$13,969/yr
$55,876 total
University of Escondido
public
$12,415/yr
$49,660 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Escondido Community College
$5,798/yr
Top Employers for Geographic Information Science in Escondido
Escondido offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Geographic Information Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Escondido 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 Escondido
Prompt Engineering
$69K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$132K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$118K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$122K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$114K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$118K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$69K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$111K starting · 3 yr ROI
Geographic Information Science Degree in Escondido — 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 Escondido.