Cognitive Science Degree in Alexandria, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Cognitive Science degree analysis for Alexandria, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$51K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$97K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.3 yrs
in Alexandria
Cost of Living
102
index (100 = avg)
Cognitive Science in Alexandria, VA Overview
Alexandria, Virginia (pop. 159,467) has 8 colleges offering Cognitive Science programs. The local cost of living index of 102 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $930/month. Cognitive Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for UX Research and Experimental Design skills. The adjusted starting salary in Alexandria is approximately $51,000, growing to $96,900 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$14,726/yr
Private Tuition
$40,924/yr
Room & Board
$9,270/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,142/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
74%
Cognitive Science Salary in Alexandria (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Alexandria's cost of living index of 102 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cognitive Science salary: $50,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $120,000 senior level.Alexandria adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Cognitive Science ROI Calculator for Alexandria
Estimate your return on investment for a Cognitive Science degree using local Alexandria tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,726 | Private avg: $40,924
Alexandria avg aid: $8,142/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$95,984
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,300
vs HS diploma in Alexandria
ROI Payback Period
6.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Alexandria
$567,016
Lifetime earnings premium ($663,000) minus total education cost ($95,984)
Student Loan Payoff for Cognitive Science in Alexandria
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Alexandria for Cognitive Science
Virginia Tech Northern Virginia
public
$14,726/yr
$58,904 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Northern Virginia Community College
$5,340/yr
Top Employers for Cognitive Science in Alexandria
Alexandria offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cognitive Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Alexandria Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cognitive Science Job Titles
Cognitive Science in Nearby Virginia Cities
Virginia Beach, VA
$44K starting · COL 88
13 colleges
Chesapeake, VA
$46K starting · COL 91
12 colleges
Arlington, VA
$71K starting · COL 142.5
9 colleges
Norfolk, VA
$47K starting · COL 93
16 colleges
Richmond, VA
$50K starting · COL 100
11 colleges
Newport News, VA
$46K starting · COL 92.5
7 colleges
Hampton, VA
$49K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Roanoke, VA
$44K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Alexandria
Prompt Engineering
$51K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$97K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$87K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$90K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cognitive Science Degree in Alexandria — 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 Cognitive Science ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Alexandria.