Cognitive Science degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in cognitive science earn a median $79,016 four years after finishing, across 19 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in cognitive science and biopsychology earn $78,710, $16,661 more than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is software developers (12%).
Median across 19 colleges; middle half $68,463–$109,784.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $45,686–$122,202. 311 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Cognitive Science And Biopsychology"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$43,072/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs cognitive science graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in cognitive science and biopsychology actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | 12% | $135,980 | +10.2% | Bachelor's degree | IC |
| Registered Nurses | 5% | $97,550 | +5.6% | Bachelor's degree | SCI |
| Other Managers | 4% | — | — | — | — |
| Marketing Managers | 3% | $166,790 | +6.9% | Bachelor's degree | EC |
| Postsecondary Teachers | 3% | $82,250 | +6.0% | — | — |
| Management Analysts | 3% | $101,860 | +10.1% | Bachelor's degree | CIE |
| Other Mathematical Science Occupations | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 2% | $47,540 | -6.0% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
These 8 jobs account for 35% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Cognitive Science earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | $81,160 (9) | $73,463 (168) |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where cognitive science graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 0 in Florida, 2 in Virginia, 17 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford UniversityCA | $131,650 | $8,055 |
| 2 | University of California-BerkeleyCA | $120,193 | $13,950 |
| 3 | University of California-Los AngelesCA | $102,066 | $13,000 |
| 4 | University of Southern CaliforniaCA | $93,440 | $19,669 |
| 5 | University of VirginiaVA | $83,554 | $16,162 |
| 6 | University of California-San DiegoCA | $81,160 | $17,481 |
| 7 | Occidental CollegeCA | $78,782 | — |
| 8 | University of California-Santa CruzCA | $72,125 | $19,500 |
| 9 | University of California-DavisCA | $68,463 | $15,000 |
| 10 | University of California-MercedCA | $51,147 | $21,000 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Cognitive Science degree questions
How much do Cognitive Science graduates make?
Cognitive Science graduates earn a median $79,016 four years after finishing, across 19 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $68,463 to $109,784; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in cognitive science and biopsychology, the median is $78,710 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Cognitive Science degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in cognitive science and biopsychology earn a median $78,710: $16,661 more than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $43,072 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Cognitive Science graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in cognitive science and biopsychology, the most common jobs are software developers (12%), registered nurses (5%), other managers (4%). Software Developers earn a U.S. median $135,980.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Cognitive Science degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/cognitive-science.