Geographic Information Science Degree in Scottsdale, AZ — Salary & ROI 2026
Geographic Information Science degree analysis for Scottsdale, AZ. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$63K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$98K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3.6 yrs
in Scottsdale
Cost of Living
126
index (100 = avg)
Geographic Information Science in Scottsdale, AZ Overview
Scottsdale, Arizona (pop. 241,361) has 16 colleges offering Geographic Information Science programs. The local cost of living index of 126 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,416/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 Scottsdale is approximately $63,000, growing to $98,280 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
16
Public Tuition
$2,580/yr
Private Tuition
$47,544/yr
Room & Board
$14,253/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,836/yr
Unemployment
3.8%
Graduation Rate
50%
Geographic Information Science Salary in Scottsdale (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Scottsdale's cost of living index of 126 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Geographic Information Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Scottsdale adjustment factor: 1.26x based on the local cost of living index.
Geographic Information Science ROI Calculator for Scottsdale
Estimate your return on investment for a Geographic Information Science degree using local Scottsdale tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $2,580 | Private avg: $47,544
Scottsdale avg aid: $14,836/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$67,332
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,900
vs HS diploma in Scottsdale
ROI Payback Period
3.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Scottsdale
$562,668
Lifetime earnings premium ($630,000) minus total education cost ($67,332)
Student Loan Payoff for Geographic Information Science in Scottsdale
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Scottsdale for Geographic Information Science
Scottsdale Community College
public
$2,580/yr
$10,320 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Scottsdale Community College
$2,580/yr
Top Employers for Geographic Information Science in Scottsdale
Scottsdale offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Geographic Information Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Scottsdale Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Geographic Information Science Job Titles
Geographic Information Science in Nearby Arizona Cities
Phoenix, AZ
$76K starting · COL 152
72 colleges
Tucson, AZ
$58K starting · COL 116
24 colleges
Mesa, AZ
$55K starting · COL 110
31 colleges
Chandler, AZ
$62K starting · COL 124
22 colleges
Gilbert, AZ
$60K starting · COL 119
26 colleges
Glendale, AZ
$53K starting · COL 105
16 colleges
Peoria, AZ
$52K starting · COL 103.8
7 colleges
Tempe, AZ
$57K starting · COL 113
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Scottsdale
Prompt Engineering
$63K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$120K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$107K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$111K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$103K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$63K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$101K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$63K starting · 3 yr ROI
Geographic Information Science Degree in Scottsdale — 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 Scottsdale.