Geographic Information Science Degree in Santa Ana, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Geographic Information Science degree analysis for Santa Ana, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$61K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$94K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.2 yrs
in Santa Ana
Cost of Living
121
index (100 = avg)
Geographic Information Science in Santa Ana, CA Overview
Santa Ana is one of California's top college towns, with 27 institutions and a student population of 9,823. Public tuition averages $1,540/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 Santa Ana is approximately $60,500, growing to $94,380 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
27
Public Tuition
$1,540/yr
Private Tuition
$44,205/yr
Room & Board
$17,583/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,688/yr
Unemployment
6.1%
Graduation Rate
74%
Geographic Information Science Salary in Santa Ana (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Santa Ana's cost of living index of 121 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Geographic Information Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Santa Ana adjustment factor: 1.21x based on the local cost of living index.
Geographic Information Science ROI Calculator for Santa Ana
Estimate your return on investment for a Geographic Information Science degree using local Santa Ana tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $1,540 | Private avg: $44,205
Santa Ana avg aid: $15,688/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$76,492
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,150
vs HS diploma in Santa Ana
ROI Payback Period
4.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Santa Ana
$528,508
Lifetime earnings premium ($605,000) minus total education cost ($76,492)
Student Loan Payoff for Geographic Information Science in Santa Ana
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Santa Ana for Geographic Information Science
Santa Ana College
public
$1,540/yr
$6,160 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Santa Ana College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Geographic Information Science in Santa Ana
Santa Ana offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Geographic Information Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana
Prompt Engineering
$61K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$115K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$103K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$106K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$99K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$103K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$97K starting · 3 yr ROI
Geographic Information Science Degree in Santa Ana — 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 Santa Ana.