University of Virginia-Main Campus: Cognitive Science

Bachelor's degree · CIP 30.25 · Charlottesville, VA

Graduates of this program who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $46,811 one year after completing and $83,554 four years after. The median federal loan debt of graduates was $15,000. Nationally, graduates of bachelor's degree programs in this field earned a median of $48,492 one year after completing.

Median earnings, 1 year
$46,811
90 graduates measured Verified data
Median earnings, 4 years
$83,554
Verified data
Median federal debt
$15,000
Verified data
Debt to first-year earnings
0.32x
median debt / median earnings Calculated estimate

This program compared with the national picture

MeasureThis programNational median, same field and credential
Median earnings 1 year after completion$46,811$48,492
Median earnings 4 years after completion$83,554$81,496
Median federal loan debt (Stafford and Grad PLUS)$15,000$15,178 Median of programs
Estimated monthly payment on median debt (10-year standard)$170
Graduates in the most recent yearData unavailable2,955 across 72 programs

Earnings cohorts: Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars. Debt cohort: NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort. Debt covers federal loans only and excludes private loans and Parent PLUS loans. Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, before taxes.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Careers this field prepares students for

From the official CIP to SOC crosswalk. Graduates do not all enter these occupations, and occupation wages describe all workers, not new graduates. Official crosswalk

Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Comparable programs with the highest early earnings

SchoolMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian debt
Stanford University
CA · Private, nonprofit
$105,925$8,420
University of Pennsylvania
PA · Private, nonprofit
$100,507$15,480
Tufts University
MA · Private, nonprofit
$92,588$18,250
University of Southern California
CA · Private, nonprofit
$67,607$12,000
University of California-Berkeley
CA · Public
$62,757$13,200
The University of Texas at Dallas
TX · Public
$61,541Data unavailable
Vassar College
NY · Private, nonprofit
$60,408Data unavailable
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
MI · Public
$57,761$21,000
Yale University
CT · Private, nonprofit
$57,389Data unavailable
University of California-Los Angeles
CA · Public
$54,235$13,000

See all Cognitive Science programs and national outcomes

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University of Virginia-Main Campus Cognitive Science (Bachelor's degree): Earnings and Debt | ConnectPrep Career Intelligence