Cognitive Science
Interdisciplinary Studies
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $76,118 | $66,814 to $97,753 | 23 | 96% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +3% (2025 to 2035), about 108,400 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-Enrichment Teachers | $46,800 | +3.5% | 50,000 |
| Directors, Religious Activities and Education | $52,100 | +3.3% | 13,000 |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | $77,640 | +2% | 12,500 |
| Religious Workers, All Other | $45,280 | +1.5% | 12,100 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $56,730 | +5.5% | 11,600 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $167,220 | +8.2% | 9,200 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a cognitive science program, of 66 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- University of California-San Diego
- University of California-Berkeley
- University of California-Los Angeles
- University of California-Davis
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- University of California-Santa Cruz
- Stanford University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.