Cognitive Science: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Cognitive Science graduates earn a median $81,496 four years after finishing — $33,136/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,906/yr net price ($67,624 over four years), that pays back in about 2 years. Federal data pools 64 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 2,728 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carnegie Mellon University | PA | $162,106 |
| 2 | Stanford University | CA | $131,650 |
| 3 | Tufts University | MA | $130,801 |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $120,193 |
| 5 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | $109,784 |
| 6 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $102,066 |
| 7 | University of Southern California | CA | $93,440 |
| 8 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | VA | $83,554 |
| 9 | University of California-San Diego | CA | $81,160 |
| 10 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $79,016 |
| 11 | Occidental College | CA | $78,782 |
| 12 | State University of New York at Oswego | NY | $76,118 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.