Cognitive Science Degree in Fayetteville, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Cognitive Science degree analysis for Fayetteville, NC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$86K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.9 yrs
in Fayetteville
Cost of Living
90
index (100 = avg)
Cognitive Science in Fayetteville, NC Overview
Fayetteville, North Carolina (pop. 208,501) has 15 colleges offering Cognitive Science programs. The local cost of living index of 90 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $877/month. Cognitive Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for UX Research and Experimental Design skills. The adjusted starting salary in Fayetteville is approximately $45,000, growing to $85,500 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
15
Public Tuition
$5,925/yr
Private Tuition
$37,000/yr
Room & Board
$10,494/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,488/yr
Unemployment
4%
Graduation Rate
46%
Cognitive Science Salary in Fayetteville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Fayetteville's cost of living index of 90 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cognitive Science salary: $50,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $120,000 senior level.Fayetteville adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Cognitive Science ROI Calculator for Fayetteville
Estimate your return on investment for a Cognitive Science degree using local Fayetteville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $5,925 | Private avg: $37,000
Fayetteville avg aid: $14,488/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$65,676
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,500
vs HS diploma in Fayetteville
ROI Payback Period
4.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Fayetteville
$519,324
Lifetime earnings premium ($585,000) minus total education cost ($65,676)
Student Loan Payoff for Cognitive Science in Fayetteville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Fayetteville for Cognitive Science
Fayetteville State University
public
$5,925/yr
$23,700 total
Methodist University
private
$37,000/yr
$148,000 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Fayetteville Technical Community College
$2,864/yr
Top Employers for Cognitive Science in Fayetteville
Fayetteville offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cognitive Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Fayetteville Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cognitive Science Job Titles
Cognitive Science in Nearby North Carolina Cities
Charlotte, NC
$45K starting · COL 89
39 colleges
Raleigh, NC
$42K starting · COL 83
21 colleges
Greensboro, NC
$46K starting · COL 91
17 colleges
Durham, NC
$55K starting · COL 109
25 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$53K starting · COL 106
26 colleges
Cary, NC
$54K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Wilmington, NC
$48K starting · COL 95
5 colleges
High Point, NC
$42K starting · COL 84.5
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Fayetteville
Prompt Engineering
$45K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$86K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$77K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$79K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$74K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$72K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cognitive Science Degree in Fayetteville — 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 Fayetteville.