Cognitive Science Degree in Elgin, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Cognitive Science degree analysis for Elgin, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$40K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$75K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.8 yrs
in Elgin
Cost of Living
79
index (100 = avg)
Cognitive Science in Elgin, IL Overview
Elgin, Illinois (pop. 114,797) has 13 colleges offering Cognitive Science programs. The local cost of living index of 79 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $1,008/month. Cognitive Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for UX Research and Experimental Design skills. The adjusted starting salary in Elgin is approximately $39,500, growing to $75,050 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
13
Public Tuition
$10,014/yr
Private Tuition
$30,900/yr
Room & Board
$9,983/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,897/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
47%
Cognitive Science Salary in Elgin (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Elgin's cost of living index of 79 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cognitive Science salary: $50,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $120,000 senior level.Elgin adjustment factor: 0.79x based on the local cost of living index.
Cognitive Science ROI Calculator for Elgin
Estimate your return on investment for a Cognitive Science degree using local Elgin tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,014 | Private avg: $30,900
Elgin avg aid: $15,897/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$79,988
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$11,850
vs HS diploma in Elgin
ROI Payback Period
6.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Elgin
$433,512
Lifetime earnings premium ($513,500) minus total education cost ($79,988)
Student Loan Payoff for Cognitive Science in Elgin
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Elgin for Cognitive Science
Judson University
private
$30,900/yr
$123,600 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Elgin Community College
$4,980/yr
Top Employers for Cognitive Science in Elgin
Elgin offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cognitive Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Elgin Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cognitive Science Job Titles
Cognitive Science in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$55K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Aurora, IL
$46K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$54K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$51K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$45K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Springfield, IL
$46K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$52K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$45K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Elgin
Prompt Engineering
$40K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$75K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$67K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$70K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$65K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$40K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$63K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$40K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cognitive Science Degree in Elgin — 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 Elgin.