U.S. median for this major: $79,016.
College Scorecard field of study
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 21% 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 $90,300. College Scorecard.
Cognitive Science at California colleges
Every California 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 | Stanford University | $131,650 | $8,055 | $13,807 | 92% |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley | $120,193 | $13,950 | $13,481 | 93% |
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles | $102,066 | $13,000 | $12,548 | 93% |
| 4 | University of Southern California | $93,440 | $19,669 | $32,740 | 92% |
| 5 | University of California-San Diego | $81,160 | $17,481 | $12,470 | 86% |
| 6 | Occidental College | $78,782 | — | $38,263 | 81% |
| 7 | University of California-Santa Cruz | $72,125 | $19,500 | $17,890 | 75% |
| 8 | University of California-Davis | $68,463 | $15,000 | $14,741 | 86% |
| 9 | University of California-Merced | $51,147 | $21,000 | $11,983 | 69% |
8 more California 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 USC, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About USC
- Acceptance rate: 10% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 92% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $92,498
- Full cost breakdown · all 89 majors · overview
USC Cognitive Science questions
How much do USC Cognitive Science graduates earn?
Cognitive Science graduates of University of Southern California earn a median $93,440 four years after graduating and $34,295 one year after. The U.S. median for Cognitive Science graduates across 19 colleges is $79,016.
How much debt do USC Cognitive Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Cognitive Science graduates of University of Southern California is $19,669, about 21% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $17,490.
Where does USC rank for Cognitive Science in California?
Of 9 California colleges reporting Cognitive Science graduate earnings, University of Southern California ranks 4th. The highest is Stanford University at $131,650.
What jobs do Cognitive Science graduates get?
A common career is natural sciences managers, with a median wage of $193,340 in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 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 Southern California Cognitive Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-southern-california/majors/cognitive-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).