Cognitive Science Degree in Milwaukee, WI — Salary & ROI 2026
Cognitive Science degree analysis for Milwaukee, WI. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$47K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$89K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6 yrs
in Milwaukee
Cost of Living
94
index (100 = avg)
Cognitive Science in Milwaukee, WI Overview
Milwaukee is one of Wisconsin's top college towns, with 33 institutions and a student population of 59,419. Public tuition averages $9,782/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 Milwaukee is approximately $47,000, growing to $89,300 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
33
Public Tuition
$9,782/yr
Private Tuition
$45,550/yr
Room & Board
$11,342/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,008/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
63%
Cognitive Science Salary in Milwaukee (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Milwaukee's cost of living index of 94 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cognitive Science salary: $50,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $120,000 senior level.Milwaukee adjustment factor: 0.94x based on the local cost of living index.
Cognitive Science ROI Calculator for Milwaukee
Estimate your return on investment for a Cognitive Science degree using local Milwaukee tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,782 | Private avg: $45,550
Milwaukee avg aid: $13,008/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$84,496
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$14,100
vs HS diploma in Milwaukee
ROI Payback Period
6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Milwaukee
$526,504
Lifetime earnings premium ($611,000) minus total education cost ($84,496)
Student Loan Payoff for Cognitive Science in Milwaukee
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Milwaukee for Cognitive Science
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
public
$9,782/yr
$39,128 total
Marquette University
private
$46,510/yr
$186,040 total
Milwaukee School of Engineering
private
$44,589/yr
$178,356 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Milwaukee Area Technical College
$4,620/yr
Top Employers for Cognitive Science in Milwaukee
Milwaukee offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cognitive Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Milwaukee Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cognitive Science Job Titles
Cognitive Science in Nearby Wisconsin Cities
Madison, WI
$45K starting · COL 89
11 colleges
Green Bay, WI
$43K starting · COL 86
6 colleges
Kenosha, WI
$53K starting · COL 106
8 colleges
Racine, WI
$43K starting · COL 85.8
4 colleges
Appleton, WI
$40K starting · COL 79
6 colleges
Waukesha, WI
$45K starting · COL 90.5
3 colleges
Eau Claire, WI
$43K starting · COL 86
2 colleges
Oshkosh, WI
$54K starting · COL 107
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Milwaukee
Prompt Engineering
$47K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$89K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$80K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$83K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$77K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$47K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$75K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$47K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cognitive Science Degree in Milwaukee — 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 Milwaukee.