Cognitive Science Degree in Bend, OR — Salary & ROI 2026
Cognitive Science degree analysis for Bend, OR. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$54K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$102K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7.1 yrs
in Bend
Cost of Living
107
index (100 = avg)
Cognitive Science in Bend, OR Overview
While Bend has a smaller college scene with 2 institutions, Cognitive Science students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $16,767/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Cognitive Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for UX Research and Experimental Design skills. The adjusted starting salary in Bend is approximately $53,500, growing to $101,650 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
2
Public Tuition
$11,580/yr
Private Tuition
$54,584/yr
Room & Board
$16,767/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,503/yr
Unemployment
7%
Graduation Rate
49%
Cognitive Science Salary in Bend (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Bend's cost of living index of 107 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cognitive Science salary: $50,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $120,000 senior level.Bend adjustment factor: 1.07x based on the local cost of living index.
Cognitive Science ROI Calculator for Bend
Estimate your return on investment for a Cognitive Science degree using local Bend tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,580 | Private avg: $54,584
Bend avg aid: $7,503/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$113,388
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,050
vs HS diploma in Bend
ROI Payback Period
7.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Bend
$582,112
Lifetime earnings premium ($695,500) minus total education cost ($113,388)
Student Loan Payoff for Cognitive Science in Bend
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Bend for Cognitive Science
Oregon State University-Cascades
public
$11,580/yr
$46,320 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Central Oregon Community College
$4,536/yr
Top Employers for Cognitive Science in Bend
Bend offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cognitive Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Bend Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cognitive Science Job Titles
Cognitive Science in Nearby Oregon Cities
Portland, OR
$56K starting · COL 112
24 colleges
Eugene, OR
$65K starting · COL 130
14 colleges
Salem, OR
$60K starting · COL 120
14 colleges
Gresham, OR
$55K starting · COL 110.2
5 colleges
Hillsboro, OR
$58K starting · COL 115.5
5 colleges
Beaverton, OR
$53K starting · COL 105.9
4 colleges
Medford, OR
$56K starting · COL 111
4 colleges
Springfield, OR
$60K starting · COL 120.3
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Bend
Prompt Engineering
$54K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$102K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$91K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$94K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$88K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$54K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$86K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$54K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cognitive Science Degree in Bend — 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 Bend.