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# Best Cognitive Science Programs in the United States (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Interdisciplinary Studies Colleges in the United States](/rankings/best-interdisciplinary-studies-colleges/)

This page ranks the 19 Cognitive Science programs in the United States by median earnings of Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing, highest first. [Carnegie Mellon University](/school/carnegie-mellon-university/majors/) leads the list at $162,106, followed by [Stanford University](/school/stanford-university/majors/) at $131,650 and [Tufts University](/school/tufts-university/majors/) at $130,801.

Across the listed programs, the median is $78,782 and the spread from the top to the bottom figure reaches $136,912. For 2 of the 19 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

The list splits almost evenly between public and private institutions, with 10 public and 9 private nonprofit schools. University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the strongest institutional showing on the page.

University of California-Merced posts the lowest average net price at $11,983, while University of California-Merced is the most accessible by admission rate, admitting 91% of applicants.

## The ranked list

19 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Carnegie Mellon University · Pittsburgh, PA | $162,106 | $31,944 | $9,097 | 11.7% |
|  | [Carnegie Mellon University](/school/carnegie-mellon-university/majors/) ranks 1st on this list, reporting [$162,106 in median earnings](/school/carnegie-mellon-university/outcomes/) for its Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing. |
| 2 | Stanford University · Stanford, CA | $131,650 | $13,807 | \-$2,536\* | 3.6% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 4%](/school/stanford-university/admissions/), [Stanford University](/school/stanford-university/majors/) posts $131,650 in median earnings for its Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing. |
| 3 | Tufts University · Medford, MA | $130,801 | $39,998 | $11,284 | 11.5% |
|  | [Tufts University](/school/tufts-university/majors/) shows an [average net price of $39,998](/school/tufts-university/cost/) and median earnings of $130,801 for its Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing. |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $120,193 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
|  | A public university in Berkeley, [University of California-Berkeley](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) reports [$120,193 in median earnings](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/outcomes/) for its Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $13,481. |
| 5 | University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, PA | $109,784 | $28,699 | \-$3,012\* | 5.4% |
|  | [University of Pennsylvania](/school/university-of-pennsylvania/majors/) [ranks 52nd on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-pennsylvania/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $109,784 for its Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing. |
| 6 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $102,066 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
|  | Median earnings of $102,066 for its Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing are reported by [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/), which also shows an [average net price of $5,579](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 7 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $93,440 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
|  | At [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/), [median federal debt of $18,250](/school/university-of-southern-california/cost/) among Cognitive Science completers who borrowed coincides with median earnings of $93,440 four years after completing. |
| 8 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $81,160 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
|  | [University of California-San Diego](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/majors/) [ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $81,160 for its Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing. |
| 9 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI | $79,016 | $13,138 | $1,043 | 15.6% |
|  | An [average net price of $1,043](/school/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 coincides with median earnings of $79,016 for Cognitive Science graduates of [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/school/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/majors/) four years after completing. |
| 10 | Occidental College · Los Angeles, CA | $78,782 | $38,263 | $20,705 | 44.2% |
|  | Occidental College reports median earnings of $78,782 for its Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing, and a school-wide median federal debt of $23,000 across all of its borrowers who completed. |
| 11 | University of California-Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz, CA | $72,125 | $17,890 | $8,717 | 65.8% |
|  | Admitting 66% of applicants, [University of California-Santa Cruz](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/majors/) reports [median earnings of $72,125](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/outcomes/) for its Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing. |
| 12 | University of Georgia · Athens, GA | $69,169 | $13,936 | $8,085 | 37.7% |
|  | An [average net price of $13,936](/school/university-of-georgia/cost/) and median earnings of $69,169 for its Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing are reported by [University of Georgia](/school/university-of-georgia/majors/). |
| 13 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $68,463 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
|  | A public university, [University of California-Davis](/school/university-of-california-davis/majors/) reports [median earnings of $68,463](/school/university-of-california-davis/outcomes/) for its Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $14,741. |
| 14 | Washington University in St Louis · St. Louis, MO | $67,212 | $21,786 | $1,716 | 12.1% |
|  | Median federal debt of $17,500 among Cognitive Science completers who borrowed at [Washington University in St Louis](/school/washington-university-in-st-louis/majors/) coincides with [median earnings of $67,212](/school/washington-university-in-st-louis/outcomes/) four years after completing. |
| 15 | Rice University · Houston, TX | $66,913 | $13,370 | $5,827 | 8.0% |
|  | [Rice University](/school/rice-university/majors/) ranks 15th on this list and sits 64th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 16 | University of Delaware · Newark, DE | $66,716 | $17,799 | $10,901 | 70.6% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 71%](/school/university-of-delaware/admissions/), [University of Delaware](/school/university-of-delaware/majors/) reports median earnings of $66,716 for its Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing. |
| 17 | University of California-Merced · Merced, CA | $51,147 | $11,983 | $7,945 | 90.5% |
|  | [University of California-Merced](/school/university-of-california-merced/majors/) carries an [average net price of $7,945](/school/university-of-california-merced/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and reports a cohort of 72 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 18 | Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN | $33,993 | $16,264 | $6,324 | 78.2% |
|  | [Indiana University-Bloomington](/school/indiana-university-bloomington/majors/) posts [median earnings of $33,993](/school/indiana-university-bloomington/outcomes/) for its Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $16,264. |
| 19 | Johns Hopkins University · Baltimore, MD | $25,194 | $18,809 | $428 | 6.4% |
|  | [Johns Hopkins University](/school/johns-hopkins-university/majors/) [admits 6% of applicants](/school/johns-hopkins-university/admissions/) and carries an average net price of $428 for families earning under $30,000. |

\* Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses.

By region[Best Cognitive Science Programs in the West](/rankings/best-cognitive-science-programs-in-the-west/)

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Cognitive Science graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the United States appear. The figures are medians for federally aided completers of the program who were working and not enrolled. For 2 of the 19 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from Carnegie Mellon University to the lowest-ranked program is $136,912, and the gap between Carnegie Mellon University and Stanford University is $30,456.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Interdisciplinary Studies Colleges in the United States](/rankings/best-interdisciplinary-studies-colleges/)
-   Interdisciplinary Studies Colleges for Social Mobility