Cognitive Science Degree in Chattanooga, TN — Salary & ROI 2026
Cognitive Science degree analysis for Chattanooga, TN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$40K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$76K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7.3 yrs
in Chattanooga
Cost of Living
80
index (100 = avg)
Cognitive Science in Chattanooga, TN Overview
While Chattanooga has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Cognitive Science students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $12,210/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 Chattanooga is approximately $40,000, growing to $76,000 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$9,648/yr
Private Tuition
$39,466/yr
Room & Board
$12,210/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,310/yr
Unemployment
3%
Graduation Rate
50%
Cognitive Science Salary in Chattanooga (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Chattanooga's cost of living index of 80 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cognitive Science salary: $50,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $120,000 senior level.Chattanooga adjustment factor: 0.80x based on the local cost of living index.
Cognitive Science ROI Calculator for Chattanooga
Estimate your return on investment for a Cognitive Science degree using local Chattanooga tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,648 | Private avg: $39,466
Chattanooga avg aid: $9,310/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$87,432
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$12,000
vs HS diploma in Chattanooga
ROI Payback Period
7.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Chattanooga
$432,568
Lifetime earnings premium ($520,000) minus total education cost ($87,432)
Student Loan Payoff for Cognitive Science in Chattanooga
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Chattanooga for Cognitive Science
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
public
$9,648/yr
$38,592 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Chattanooga State Community College
$4,320/yr
Top Employers for Cognitive Science in Chattanooga
Chattanooga offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cognitive Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Chattanooga Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cognitive Science Job Titles
Cognitive Science in Nearby Tennessee Cities
Nashville, TN
$46K starting · COL 92
35 colleges
Memphis, TN
$47K starting · COL 93
22 colleges
Knoxville, TN
$43K starting · COL 85
5 colleges
Clarksville, TN
$45K starting · COL 90
9 colleges
Murfreesboro, TN
$46K starting · COL 91
10 colleges
Franklin, TN
$59K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Jackson, TN
$41K starting · COL 82.5
3 colleges
Johnson City, TN
$53K starting · COL 105
6 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Chattanooga
Prompt Engineering
$40K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$76K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$68K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$70K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$66K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$40K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$64K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$40K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cognitive Science Degree in Chattanooga — 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 Chattanooga.