I am seeking to build a career in industry. I am confused by the cost of production jobs. I am experimenting with job costs in Amarr vs. lower sec systems nearby. In the star map, I see differences in the various system cost indices, but when I actually place a blueprint in the industry window and tee-up a job in high-sec vs. low-sec, the cost of production is the same in all systems? I assume that risk-reward is intended to favor production in lower security systems over high security major hubs, but I am clearly missing something. It seems fun to produce in low sec and navigate gate camps with valuable cargo in the hold, but will I see a benefit to my margins for assuming that risk? Thanks.
SCI is dynamic, the more production in a system the higher it climbs. Look on the facilities tab in industry and mouse over the icons, you will see the SCI + the tax + any installed rigs if it is player owned. All these are factors. There is no specific advantage to producing in lowsec apart from being able to build Dreads etc.
TBH I’ve only ever used a lowsec facility for reactions. Not because I’m particularly risk averse but cost averse. Losing materials or product is costly and hauling in lowsec takes more time & effort. Time is ISK 
https://www.fuzzwork.co.uk/blueprint/ can be used to see the job cost for any system (except wormholes). It also helps you break down the materials needs for blueprints. Very handy.
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Job cost starts with the estimated value of the goods being produced. This is a moving average calculated by the game that you can see by hovering over the item. Security status of the system does not affect this.
Next, you take a percentage of the estimated value determined by the system cost index. This can vary from 0.1% to as high as 12.5% in Jita and is based on the percentage of all manufacturing in the cluster that takes place in the system. Finally, you apply any structure bonuses to get the Job Gross Cost.
The last item is adding the station tax which will be a percentage of the Job Gross Cost. This is a 10% flat rate in NPC stations and set by the owners for player owned structures.
There are lots of highsec systems with a 0.1% system cost index, so there is little advantage to lowsec on that metric. Lowsec advantages are reactions - which can’t be done in highsec and capital component manufacturing where the Thukker rigs offer a substantial bonus.
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