Cognitive Science Degree in Omaha, NE — Salary & ROI 2026
Cognitive Science degree analysis for Omaha, NE. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$44K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$83K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.5 yrs
in Omaha
Cost of Living
87
index (100 = avg)
Cognitive Science in Omaha, NE Overview
Omaha is one of Nebraska's top college towns, with 23 institutions and a student population of 33,866. Public tuition averages $8,268/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 Omaha is approximately $43,500, growing to $82,650 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
23
Public Tuition
$8,268/yr
Private Tuition
$26,461/yr
Room & Board
$12,792/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,593/yr
Unemployment
5.6%
Graduation Rate
56%
Cognitive Science Salary in Omaha (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Omaha's cost of living index of 87 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cognitive Science salary: $50,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $120,000 senior level.Omaha adjustment factor: 0.87x based on the local cost of living index.
Cognitive Science ROI Calculator for Omaha
Estimate your return on investment for a Cognitive Science degree using local Omaha tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,268 | Private avg: $26,461
Omaha avg aid: $11,593/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$84,240
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,050
vs HS diploma in Omaha
ROI Payback Period
6.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Omaha
$481,260
Lifetime earnings premium ($565,500) minus total education cost ($84,240)
Student Loan Payoff for Cognitive Science in Omaha
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Omaha for Cognitive Science
University of Nebraska at Omaha
public
$8,268/yr
$33,072 total
Creighton University
private
$44,146/yr
$176,584 total
Bellevue University
private
$8,775/yr
$35,100 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Metropolitan Community College Omaha
$3,540/yr
Top Employers for Cognitive Science in Omaha
Omaha offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cognitive Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Omaha Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cognitive Science Job Titles
Cognitive Science in Nearby Nebraska Cities
Other STEM Majors in Omaha
Prompt Engineering
$44K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$83K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$74K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$77K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$71K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$44K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$70K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$44K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cognitive Science Degree in Omaha — 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 Omaha.