U.S. median for this major: $79,016.
College Scorecard field of study; 35 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 17% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $17,490.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $89,028. College Scorecard.
University of Pennsylvania Cognitive Science: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 Pennsylvania colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Cognitive Science nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses University of Pennsylvania's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $0 | $0 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $316 | $1,296 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $10,439 | $42,800 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $25,476 | $104,452 | 1.4 years |
| $110k+ | $55,972 | $229,485 | 3.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (88% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Cognitive Science graduates 4 years after graduating ($109,784) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $73,987 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Cognitive Science at Pennsylvania colleges
Every Pennsylvania college we cover that reports Cognitive Science graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carnegie Mellon University | $162,106 | — | $31,944 | 94% |
| 2 | University of Pennsylvania | $109,784 | $18,660 | $28,699 | 97% |
4 more Pennsylvania colleges offer Cognitive Science but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Cognitive Science graduates
Natural Sciences Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Directors, Religious Activities and Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.3% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at University of Pennsylvania, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Pennsylvania
- Acceptance rate: 5% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 97% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $111,371
- Full cost breakdown · all 76 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Pennsylvania
- Biological and Physical Sciences—
- Mathematics and Computer Science—
University of Pennsylvania Cognitive Science questions
How much do University of Pennsylvania Cognitive Science graduates earn?
Cognitive Science graduates of University of Pennsylvania earn a median $109,784 four years after graduating and $84,314 one year after. The U.S. median for Cognitive Science graduates across 19 colleges is $79,016.
How much debt do University of Pennsylvania Cognitive Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Cognitive Science graduates of University of Pennsylvania is $18,660, about 17% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $17,490.
Where does University of Pennsylvania rank for Cognitive Science in Pennsylvania?
Of 2 Pennsylvania colleges reporting Cognitive Science graduate earnings, University of Pennsylvania ranks 2nd. The highest is Carnegie Mellon University at $162,106.
What jobs do Cognitive Science graduates get?
A common career is natural sciences managers, with a median wage of $172,900 in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD area and $167,220 nationally. Others include directors, religious activities and education.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Pennsylvania Cognitive Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-pennsylvania/majors/cognitive-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).