Cosmetic Science Degree in Fayetteville, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Cosmetic Science degree analysis for Fayetteville, NC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$61K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$86K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.2 yrs
in Fayetteville
Cost of Living
90
index (100 = avg)
Cosmetic Science in Fayetteville, NC Overview
Fayetteville, North Carolina (pop. 208,501) has 15 colleges offering Cosmetic Science programs. The local cost of living index of 90 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $877/month. Cosmetic Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Formulation and Quality Control skills. The adjusted starting salary in Fayetteville is approximately $61,200.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
15
Public Tuition
$5,925/yr
Private Tuition
$37,000/yr
Room & Board
$10,494/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,488/yr
Unemployment
4%
Graduation Rate
46%
Cosmetic Science Salary in Fayetteville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Fayetteville's cost of living index of 90 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cosmetic Science salary: $68,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $125,000 senior level.Fayetteville adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Cosmetic Science ROI Calculator for Fayetteville
Estimate your return on investment for a Cosmetic Science degree using local Fayetteville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $5,925 | Private avg: $37,000
Fayetteville avg aid: $14,488/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$65,676
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$29,700
vs HS diploma in Fayetteville
ROI Payback Period
2.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Fayetteville
$-20,676
Lifetime earnings premium ($45,000) minus total education cost ($65,676)
Student Loan Payoff for Cosmetic Science in Fayetteville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Fayetteville for Cosmetic Science
Fayetteville State University
public
$5,925/yr
$23,700 total
Methodist University
private
$37,000/yr
$148,000 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Fayetteville Technical Community College
$2,864/yr
Top Employers for Cosmetic Science in Fayetteville
Fayetteville offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cosmetic Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Fayetteville Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cosmetic Science Job Titles
Cosmetic Science in Nearby North Carolina Cities
Charlotte, NC
$61K starting · COL 89
39 colleges
Raleigh, NC
$56K starting · COL 83
21 colleges
Greensboro, NC
$62K starting · COL 91
17 colleges
Durham, NC
$74K starting · COL 109
25 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$72K starting · COL 106
26 colleges
Cary, NC
$74K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Wilmington, NC
$65K starting · COL 95
5 colleges
High Point, NC
$57K starting · COL 84.5
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Fayetteville
Prompt Engineering
$45K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$86K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$77K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$79K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$74K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$72K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cosmetic Science Degree in Fayetteville — 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 Cosmetic Science ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Fayetteville.