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Cognitive & Language Psychology

Types of Degrees Cognitive & Language Psychology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Cognitive & Language Psychology may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	279
Master’s Degree	72
Doctor’s Degree	29

What Cognitive & Language Psychology Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Cognitive & Language Psychology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Cognitive & Language Psychology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

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

• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set built by a Cognitive & Language Psychology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Cognitive & Language Psychology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Cognitive & Language Psychology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Cognitive & Language Psychology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft SharePoint	Document management software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Cognitive & Language Psychology graduates include:

• Applied Psychology Teacher
• Clinical Psychology Teacher
• Human Relations Teacher
• Child Development Instructor
• Assistant Professor
• School Psychology Professor
• Child Development Professor
• Clinical Psychology Professor
• Industrial Psychology Teacher
• Adjunct Psychology Instructor
• Psychology Lecturer
• Lecturer
• Psychology Instructor
• College Professor
• Psychology Assistant Professor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	33.1%
Post-doctoral training	25.2%
Doctoral degree	17.5%
Master’s degree	8.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	5.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	4.0%
Postsecondary certificate	2.6%
Some college courses	2.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.7%
Post-master’s certificate	0.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Cognitive & Language Psychology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 73.4% of Cognitive & Language Psychology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	279	73.4%
Men	101	26.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	144	37.9%
Asian	78	20.5%
Hispanic or Latino	59	15.5%
Black or African American	14	3.7%
Two or More Races	20	5.3%
Race Unknown	7	1.8%
International Students	58	15.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Cognitive & Language Psychology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Cognitive & Language Psychology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$34,814
4 years	$50,900
5 years	$59,985

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $59,985 — 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 & Language Psychology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Cognitive & Language Psychology graduates earn a median of $50,900 four years after completion — roughly 34% 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
Research and Experimental Psychology	42.27
Behavioral Neuroscience	42.2706
Comparative Psychology	42.2702
Developmental and Adolescent Psychology	42.2710
Developmental and Child Psychology	42.2703
Experimental Psychology	42.2704
Personality Psychology	42.2705
Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology	42.2708
Psychopharmacology	42.2709
Research and Experimental Psychology, Other	42.2799
Social Psychology	42.2707
Applied Behavior Analysis	42.2814

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.