Geographic Information Science Degree in Fresno, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Geographic Information Science degree analysis for Fresno, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$59K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$92K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.3 yrs
in Fresno
Cost of Living
118
index (100 = avg)
Geographic Information Science in Fresno, CA Overview
Fresno is one of California's top college towns, with 37 institutions and a student population of 23,836. Public tuition averages $7,302/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 Fresno is approximately $59,000, growing to $92,040 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
37
Public Tuition
$7,302/yr
Private Tuition
$24,820/yr
Room & Board
$16,283/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,988/yr
Unemployment
6.5%
Graduation Rate
65%
Geographic Information Science Salary in Fresno (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Fresno's cost of living index of 118 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Geographic Information Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Fresno adjustment factor: 1.18x based on the local cost of living index.
Geographic Information Science ROI Calculator for Fresno
Estimate your return on investment for a Geographic Information Science degree using local Fresno tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,302 | Private avg: $24,820
Fresno avg aid: $12,988/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$94,340
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$17,700
vs HS diploma in Fresno
ROI Payback Period
5.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Fresno
$495,660
Lifetime earnings premium ($590,000) minus total education cost ($94,340)
Student Loan Payoff for Geographic Information Science in Fresno
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Fresno for Geographic Information Science
California State University, Fresno
public
$7,302/yr
$29,208 total
Fresno Pacific University
private
$36,320/yr
$145,280 total
National University Fresno
private
$13,320/yr
$53,280 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Fresno City College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Geographic Information Science in Fresno
Fresno offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Geographic Information Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Fresno 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
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
Bakersfield, CA
$67K starting · COL 134
18 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Fresno
Prompt Engineering
$59K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$112K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$100K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$104K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$97K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$59K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$94K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$59K starting · 3 yr ROI
Geographic Information Science Degree in Fresno — 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 Fresno.