Cognitive Science Degree in Reno, NV — Salary & ROI 2026
Cognitive Science degree analysis for Reno, NV. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$58K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$110K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.1 yrs
in Reno
Cost of Living
116
index (100 = avg)
Cognitive Science in Reno, NV Overview
Reno is one of Nevada's top college towns, with 21 institutions and a student population of 20,250. Public tuition averages $8,691/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 Reno is approximately $58,000, growing to $110,200 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
21
Public Tuition
$8,691/yr
Private Tuition
$55,136/yr
Room & Board
$13,579/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,613/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
64%
Cognitive Science Salary in Reno (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Reno's cost of living index of 116 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cognitive Science salary: $50,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $120,000 senior level.Reno adjustment factor: 1.16x based on the local cost of living index.
Cognitive Science ROI Calculator for Reno
Estimate your return on investment for a Cognitive Science degree using local Reno tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,691 | Private avg: $55,136
Reno avg aid: $15,613/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$89,080
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$17,400
vs HS diploma in Reno
ROI Payback Period
5.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Reno
$664,920
Lifetime earnings premium ($754,000) minus total education cost ($89,080)
Student Loan Payoff for Cognitive Science in Reno
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Reno for Cognitive Science
University of Nevada, Reno
public
$8,691/yr
$34,764 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Truckee Meadows Community College
$3,420/yr
Top Employers for Cognitive Science in Reno
Reno offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cognitive Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Reno Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cognitive Science Job Titles
Cognitive Science in Nearby Nevada Cities
Las Vegas, NV
$58K starting · COL 115
45 colleges
Henderson, NV
$65K starting · COL 129
12 colleges
North Las Vegas, NV
$49K starting · COL 98.5
10 colleges
Spring Valley, NV
$50K starting · COL 100.2
8 colleges
Sunrise Manor, NV
$48K starting · COL 95.8
7 colleges
Paradise, NV
$50K starting · COL 100.5
7 colleges
Enterprise, NV
$52K starting · COL 103.8
7 colleges
Sparks, NV
$53K starting · COL 105.2
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Reno
Prompt Engineering
$58K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$110K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$99K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$102K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$95K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$93K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cognitive Science Degree in Reno — 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 Reno.