---

Cognitive Science

Types of Degrees Cognitive Science Majors Are Earning

Those studying Cognitive Science can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	2,955
Master’s Degree	96
Doctor’s Degree	70

What Cognitive Science Majors Need to Know

Studies in Cognitive Science build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Cognitive Science graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Cognitive Science emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 2.8 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Cognitive Science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Cognitive Science careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Cognitive Science graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.9 / 7
Working with Computers	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Cognitive Science professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
StataCorp Stata	Analytical or scientific software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Cognitive Science graduates include:

• Computer Technology Instructor
• Instructor
• Teacher
• Naval Science Teacher
• Assistant Professor
• Project Management Professor
• Foreign Student Adviser Teacher
• Metal Crafts Teacher
• Lecturer
• Foreign Service Teacher
• Liberal Arts Teacher
• College Instructor
• City Planning Teacher
• Packaging Professor
• Industrial Arts Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Cognitive Science graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	41.6%
Master’s degree	19.3%
Postsecondary certificate	12.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	9.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	7.3%
Post-doctoral training	3.7%
Some college courses	3.6%
Doctoral degree	2.2%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Cognitive Science?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 65.6% of Cognitive Science degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	2,046	65.6%
Men	1,075	34.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Cognitive Science graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	841	26.9%
Asian	1,089	34.9%
Hispanic or Latino	426	13.6%
Black or African American	108	3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	2	0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	6	0.2%
Two or More Races	201	6.4%
Race Unknown	78	2.5%
International Students	370	11.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Cognitive Science Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Cognitive Science graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$46,058
4 years	$67,809
5 years	$79,238

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $79,238 — roughly 72% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Cognitive Science Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Cognitive Science graduates earn a median of $67,809 four years after completion — roughly 78% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Multi Interdisciplinary Studies	30
Accounting and Computer Science	30.16
Anthrozoology	30.34
Behavioral Sciences	30.17
Biological and Physical Sciences	30.01
Biopsychology	30.10
Classical and Ancient Studies	30.22
Climate Science	30.35
Computational Science	30.30
Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature	30.36
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis	30.26
Data Analytics	30.71

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.