Cognitive Science Degree in Phoenix, AZ — Salary & ROI 2026
Cognitive Science degree analysis for Phoenix, AZ. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$76K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$144K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.8 yrs
in Phoenix
Cost of Living
152
index (100 = avg)
Cognitive Science in Phoenix, AZ Overview
Phoenix is one of Arizona's top college towns, with 72 institutions and a student population of 118,169. Public tuition averages $12,467/year here — near the national average for public universities. Cognitive Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for UX Research and Experimental Design skills. The adjusted starting salary in Phoenix is approximately $76,000, growing to $144,400 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
72
Public Tuition
$12,467/yr
Private Tuition
$22,100/yr
Room & Board
$14,782/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,630/yr
Unemployment
4.4%
Graduation Rate
53%
Cognitive Science Salary in Phoenix (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Phoenix's cost of living index of 152 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cognitive Science salary: $50,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $120,000 senior level.Phoenix adjustment factor: 1.52x based on the local cost of living index.
Cognitive Science ROI Calculator for Phoenix
Estimate your return on investment for a Cognitive Science degree using local Phoenix tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,467 | Private avg: $22,100
Phoenix avg aid: $8,630/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$108,996
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$22,800
vs HS diploma in Phoenix
ROI Payback Period
4.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Phoenix
$879,004
Lifetime earnings premium ($988,000) minus total education cost ($108,996)
Student Loan Payoff for Cognitive Science in Phoenix
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Phoenix for Cognitive Science
Arizona State University
public
$12,467/yr
$49,868 total
Grand Canyon University
private
$17,800/yr
$71,200 total
University of Advancing Technology
private
$26,400/yr
$105,600 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Maricopa Community Colleges
$2,580/yr
Top Employers for Cognitive Science in Phoenix
Phoenix offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cognitive Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Phoenix Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cognitive Science Job Titles
Cognitive Science in Nearby Arizona Cities
Tucson, AZ
$58K starting · COL 116
24 colleges
Mesa, AZ
$55K starting · COL 110
31 colleges
Chandler, AZ
$62K starting · COL 124
22 colleges
Gilbert, AZ
$60K starting · COL 119
26 colleges
Glendale, AZ
$53K starting · COL 105
16 colleges
Scottsdale, AZ
$63K starting · COL 126
16 colleges
Peoria, AZ
$52K starting · COL 103.8
7 colleges
Tempe, AZ
$57K starting · COL 113
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Phoenix
Prompt Engineering
$76K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$144K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$129K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$134K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$125K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$76K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$122K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$76K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cognitive Science Degree in Phoenix — 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 Phoenix.