Geographic Information Science Degree in Rochester, MN — Salary & ROI 2026
Geographic Information Science degree analysis for Rochester, MN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$53K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$82K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.5 yrs
in Rochester
Cost of Living
105
index (100 = avg)
Geographic Information Science in Rochester, MN Overview
Rochester, Minnesota (pop. 121,395) has 8 colleges offering Geographic Information Science programs. The local cost of living index of 105 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $933/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 Rochester is approximately $52,500, growing to $81,900 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$8,930/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$12,715/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,803/yr
Unemployment
4.1%
Graduation Rate
63%
Geographic Information Science Salary in Rochester (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Rochester's cost of living index of 105 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Geographic Information Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Rochester adjustment factor: 1.05x based on the local cost of living index.
Geographic Information Science ROI Calculator for Rochester
Estimate your return on investment for a Geographic Information Science degree using local Rochester tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,930 | Private avg: $42,000
Rochester avg aid: $11,803/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$86,580
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,750
vs HS diploma in Rochester
ROI Payback Period
5.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Rochester
$438,420
Lifetime earnings premium ($525,000) minus total education cost ($86,580)
Student Loan Payoff for Geographic Information Science in Rochester
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Rochester for Geographic Information Science
Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences
private
$42,000/yr
$168,000 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Rochester Community and Technical College
$5,772/yr
Top Employers for Geographic Information Science in Rochester
Rochester offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Geographic Information Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Rochester Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Geographic Information Science Job Titles
Geographic Information Science in Nearby Minnesota Cities
Minneapolis, MN
$49K starting · COL 97
15 colleges
Saint Paul, MN
$51K starting · COL 101.5
11 colleges
St. Paul, MN
$54K starting · COL 108
20 colleges
Duluth, MN
$50K starting · COL 100
5 colleges
Bloomington, MN
$50K starting · COL 100.2
4 colleges
Brooklyn Park, MN
$49K starting · COL 98.8
4 colleges
Plymouth, MN
$54K starting · COL 107.3
4 colleges
Maple Grove, MN
$54K starting · COL 107.4
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Rochester
Prompt Engineering
$53K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$100K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$89K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$92K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$86K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Geographic Information Science Degree in Rochester — 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 Rochester.