Cognitive Science Degree in Lowell, MA — Salary & ROI 2026
Cognitive Science degree analysis for Lowell, MA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$56K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$107K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7.3 yrs
in Lowell
Cost of Living
112.5
index (100 = avg)
Cognitive Science in Lowell, MA Overview
While Lowell has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Cognitive Science students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $14,748/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 Lowell is approximately $56,250, growing to $106,875 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$16,100/yr
Private Tuition
$48,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,748/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,502/yr
Unemployment
3%
Graduation Rate
73%
Cognitive Science Salary in Lowell (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lowell's cost of living index of 112.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cognitive Science salary: $50,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $120,000 senior level.Lowell adjustment factor: 1.13x based on the local cost of living index.
Cognitive Science ROI Calculator for Lowell
Estimate your return on investment for a Cognitive Science degree using local Lowell tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $16,100 | Private avg: $48,000
Lowell avg aid: $14,502/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$123,392
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,875
vs HS diploma in Lowell
ROI Payback Period
7.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lowell
$607,858
Lifetime earnings premium ($731,250) minus total education cost ($123,392)
Student Loan Payoff for Cognitive Science in Lowell
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lowell for Cognitive Science
Lowell State University
public
$16,448/yr
$65,792 total
University of Lowell
public
$18,005/yr
$72,020 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Lowell Community College
$6,184/yr
Top Employers for Cognitive Science in Lowell
Lowell offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cognitive Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lowell Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cognitive Science Job Titles
Cognitive Science in Nearby Massachusetts Cities
Boston, MA
$69K starting · COL 137
24 colleges
Worcester, MA
$59K starting · COL 117
11 colleges
Springfield, MA
$67K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Cambridge, MA
$67K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Brockton, MA
$54K starting · COL 108.5
5 colleges
Quincy, MA
$64K starting · COL 128.5
4 colleges
New Bedford, MA
$51K starting · COL 102.5
4 colleges
Lynn, MA
$59K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Lowell
Prompt Engineering
$56K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$107K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$96K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$99K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$92K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$90K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cognitive Science Degree in Lowell — 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 Lowell.