Geographic Information Science Degree in Reno, NV — Salary & ROI 2026
Geographic Information Science degree analysis for Reno, NV. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$58K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$90K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.1 yrs
in Reno
Cost of Living
116
index (100 = avg)
Geographic Information Science in Reno, NV Overview
Reno is one of Nevada's top college towns, with 21 institutions and a student population of 20,250. Public tuition averages $8,691/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 Reno is approximately $58,000, growing to $90,480 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
21
Public Tuition
$8,691/yr
Private Tuition
$55,136/yr
Room & Board
$13,579/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,613/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
64%
Geographic Information Science Salary in Reno (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Reno's cost of living index of 116 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Geographic Information Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Reno adjustment factor: 1.16x based on the local cost of living index.
Geographic Information Science ROI Calculator for Reno
Estimate your return on investment for a Geographic Information Science degree using local Reno tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,691 | Private avg: $55,136
Reno avg aid: $15,613/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$89,080
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$17,400
vs HS diploma in Reno
ROI Payback Period
5.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Reno
$490,920
Lifetime earnings premium ($580,000) minus total education cost ($89,080)
Student Loan Payoff for Geographic Information Science in Reno
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Reno for Geographic Information Science
University of Nevada, Reno
public
$8,691/yr
$34,764 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Truckee Meadows Community College
$3,420/yr
Top Employers for Geographic Information Science in Reno
Reno offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Geographic Information Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Reno Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Geographic Information Science Job Titles
Geographic Information Science in Nearby Nevada Cities
Las Vegas, NV
$58K starting · COL 115
45 colleges
Henderson, NV
$65K starting · COL 129
12 colleges
North Las Vegas, NV
$49K starting · COL 98.5
10 colleges
Spring Valley, NV
$50K starting · COL 100.2
8 colleges
Sunrise Manor, NV
$48K starting · COL 95.8
7 colleges
Paradise, NV
$50K starting · COL 100.5
7 colleges
Enterprise, NV
$52K starting · COL 103.8
7 colleges
Sparks, NV
$53K starting · COL 105.2
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Reno
Prompt Engineering
$58K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$110K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$99K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$102K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$95K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$93K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Geographic Information Science Degree in Reno — 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 Reno.