Geographic Information Science Degree in New Orleans, LA — Salary & ROI 2026
Geographic Information Science degree analysis for New Orleans, LA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$70K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.9 yrs
in New Orleans
Cost of Living
90
index (100 = avg)
Geographic Information Science in New Orleans, LA Overview
New Orleans is one of Louisiana's top college towns, with 23 institutions and a student population of 36,626. Public tuition averages $8,834/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 New Orleans is approximately $45,000, growing to $70,200 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
23
Public Tuition
$8,834/yr
Private Tuition
$53,112/yr
Room & Board
$11,173/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,952/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
70%
Geographic Information Science Salary in New Orleans (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for New Orleans's cost of living index of 90 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Geographic Information Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.New Orleans adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Geographic Information Science ROI Calculator for New Orleans
Estimate your return on investment for a Geographic Information Science degree using local New Orleans tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,834 | Private avg: $53,112
New Orleans avg aid: $15,952/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$80,028
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,500
vs HS diploma in New Orleans
ROI Payback Period
5.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in New Orleans
$369,972
Lifetime earnings premium ($450,000) minus total education cost ($80,028)
Student Loan Payoff for Geographic Information Science in New Orleans
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in New Orleans for Geographic Information Science
Tulane University
private
$62,844/yr
$251,376 total
University of New Orleans
public
$8,834/yr
$35,336 total
Loyola University New Orleans
private
$43,380/yr
$173,520 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Delgado Community College
$4,236/yr
Top Employers for Geographic Information Science in New Orleans
New Orleans offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Geographic Information Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key New Orleans Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Geographic Information Science Job Titles
Geographic Information Science in Nearby Louisiana Cities
Baton Rouge, LA
$41K starting · COL 82
16 colleges
Shreveport, LA
$50K starting · COL 99
14 colleges
Metairie, LA
$45K starting · COL 89.4
6 colleges
Lafayette, LA
$52K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Lake Charles, LA
$40K starting · COL 80
6 colleges
Bossier City, LA
$44K starting · COL 87.8
3 colleges
Kenner, LA
$46K starting · COL 92.5
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in New Orleans
Prompt Engineering
$45K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$86K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$77K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$79K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$74K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$72K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Geographic Information Science Degree in New Orleans — 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 New Orleans.