Cognitive Science
Cognitive Science graduates earn an average annual wage of $114,838, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 32,580 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Cognitive Science and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$14,237 Median In-State Public
$63,161 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Cognitive Science majors are, on average, $14,237 for in-state public colleges, and $63,161 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Cognitive Science programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
3,121 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Cognitive Science from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Cognitive Science.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
| 2 | Indiana University-Bloomington | IN | 36,571 |
| 3 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | NJ | 36,357 |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | 34,623 |
| 5 | University of California-San Diego | CA | 33,787 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Cognitive Science programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University-Fresno | CA | $6,980 |
| 2 | California State University-Stanislaus | CA | $7,826 |
| 3 | Henderson State University | AR | $7,885 |
| 4 | State University of New York at Oswego | NY | $8,769 |
| 5 | Minnesota State University-Mankato | MN | $9,490 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Cognitive Science programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University-Stanislaus | CA | $5,671 |
| 2 | California State University-Fresno | CA | $6,480 |
| 3 | University of California-San Diego | CA | $11,750 |
| 4 | Stanford University | CA | $12,136 |
| 5 | Rice University | TX | $12,640 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Cognitive Science programs.
Graduation Rates
59.36% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
57.43% Average Graduation Rate
144 Institutions Reporting
43.88% - 71.16% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Cognitive Science programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Cognitive Science graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$114,838 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Cognitive Science majors is $114,838.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Cognitive Science majors.
Occupations by Share
32,580 2023 Workforce
The number of Cognitive Science graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Cognitive Science by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Cognitive Science degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
ROI data is not available for this degree program.
Financial value comparison for Cognitive Science degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Cognitive Science in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Cognitive Science.
Age distribution for Cognitive Science degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Gender distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Gender distribution of Cognitive Science degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Race and ethnicity distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Racial and ethnic distribution of Cognitive Science degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Cognitive Science are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Cognitive Science.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Cognitive Science field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Cognitive Science majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Cognitive Science majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Cognitive Science majors.
About
Cognitive Science
In 2023, 3,121 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Cognitive Science.
CIP Code
00.3025 - Cognitive Science
Insights and Analysis
High Earning Potential: Cognitive Science graduates earn an average annual wage of $114,838, placing them among the top earners in the workforce. This strong earning potential reflects both the demand for skills in this field and the value employers place on this degree.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.