Cognitive Science Degree in Springfield, MO — Salary & ROI 2026
Cognitive Science degree analysis for Springfield, MO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$40K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$76K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7.2 yrs
in Springfield
Cost of Living
80
index (100 = avg)
Cognitive Science in Springfield, MO Overview
While Springfield has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Cognitive Science students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $13,383/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 Springfield is approximately $40,000, growing to $76,000 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$8,210/yr
Private Tuition
$33,330/yr
Room & Board
$13,383/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,942/yr
Unemployment
3.2%
Graduation Rate
52%
Cognitive Science Salary in Springfield (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Springfield's cost of living index of 80 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cognitive Science salary: $50,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $120,000 senior level.Springfield adjustment factor: 0.80x based on the local cost of living index.
Cognitive Science ROI Calculator for Springfield
Estimate your return on investment for a Cognitive Science degree using local Springfield tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,210 | Private avg: $33,330
Springfield avg aid: $13,942/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$86,372
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$12,000
vs HS diploma in Springfield
ROI Payback Period
7.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Springfield
$433,628
Lifetime earnings premium ($520,000) minus total education cost ($86,372)
Student Loan Payoff for Cognitive Science in Springfield
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Springfield for Cognitive Science
Missouri State University
public
$8,210/yr
$32,840 total
Drury University
private
$33,330/yr
$133,320 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Ozarks Technical Community College
$3,900/yr
Top Employers for Cognitive Science in Springfield
Springfield offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cognitive Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Springfield Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cognitive Science Job Titles
Cognitive Science in Nearby Missouri Cities
Kansas City, MO
$47K starting · COL 94
44 colleges
St. Louis, MO
$49K starting · COL 97
23 colleges
Columbia, MO
$42K starting · COL 84
10 colleges
Independence, MO
$43K starting · COL 85.8
5 colleges
Lee's Summit, MO
$48K starting · COL 95.5
4 colleges
OFallon, MO
$44K starting · COL 87.3
4 colleges
St. Joseph, MO
$45K starting · COL 90.4
3 colleges
St. Charles, MO
$42K starting · COL 83.4
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Springfield
Prompt Engineering
$40K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$76K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$68K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$70K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$66K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$40K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$64K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$40K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cognitive Science Degree in Springfield — 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 Springfield.