Cognitive Science Degree in Fremont, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Cognitive Science degree analysis for Fremont, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$53K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$100K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.9 yrs
in Fremont
Cost of Living
105
index (100 = avg)
Cognitive Science in Fremont, CA Overview
Fremont is one of California's top college towns, with 24 institutions and a student population of 9,210. Public tuition averages $1,540/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. Cognitive Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for UX Research and Experimental Design skills. The adjusted starting salary in Fremont is approximately $52,500, growing to $99,750 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
24
Public Tuition
$1,540/yr
Private Tuition
$60,373/yr
Room & Board
$17,934/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,692/yr
Unemployment
3.7%
Graduation Rate
56%
Cognitive Science Salary in Fremont (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Fremont's cost of living index of 105 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cognitive Science salary: $50,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $120,000 senior level.Fremont adjustment factor: 1.05x based on the local cost of living index.
Cognitive Science ROI Calculator for Fremont
Estimate your return on investment for a Cognitive Science degree using local Fremont tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $1,540 | Private avg: $60,373
Fremont avg aid: $13,692/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$77,896
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,750
vs HS diploma in Fremont
ROI Payback Period
4.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Fremont
$604,604
Lifetime earnings premium ($682,500) minus total education cost ($77,896)
Student Loan Payoff for Cognitive Science in Fremont
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Fremont for Cognitive Science
Ohlone College
public
$1,540/yr
$6,160 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Ohlone College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Cognitive Science in Fremont
Fremont offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cognitive Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Fremont 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 Fremont
Prompt Engineering
$53K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$100K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$89K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$92K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$86K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$89K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cognitive Science Degree in Fremont — 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 Fremont.