Cognitive Science Degree in Berkeley, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Cognitive Science degree analysis for Berkeley, CA. 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
8.2 yrs
in Berkeley
Cost of Living
102
index (100 = avg)
Cognitive Science in Berkeley, CA Overview
Berkeley, California (pop. 124,321) has 7 colleges offering Cognitive Science programs. The local cost of living index of 102 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $961/month. Cognitive Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for UX Research and Experimental Design skills. The adjusted starting salary in Berkeley is approximately $51,000, growing to $96,900 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$14,312/yr
Private Tuition
$41,049/yr
Room & Board
$17,106/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,462/yr
Unemployment
3.9%
Graduation Rate
66%
Cognitive Science Salary in Berkeley (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Berkeley'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.Berkeley adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Cognitive Science ROI Calculator for Berkeley
Estimate your return on investment for a Cognitive Science degree using local Berkeley tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,312 | Private avg: $41,049
Berkeley avg aid: $11,462/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$125,672
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,300
vs HS diploma in Berkeley
ROI Payback Period
8.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Berkeley
$537,328
Lifetime earnings premium ($663,000) minus total education cost ($125,672)
Student Loan Payoff for Cognitive Science in Berkeley
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Berkeley for Cognitive Science
UC Berkeley
public
$14,312/yr
$57,248 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Berkeley City College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Cognitive Science in Berkeley
Berkeley offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cognitive Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Berkeley Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cognitive Science Job Titles
Cognitive 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 Berkeley
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
Astrophysics
$87K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cognitive Science Degree in Berkeley — 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 Berkeley.