Cognitive Science graduates from University of Virginia-Main Campus earn $83,554 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $15,625.
Cognitive Science at University of Virginia-Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Cognitive Science at University of Virginia-Main Campus
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for University of Virginia-Main Campus and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Cognitive Science at the bachelor's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. Completer counts for the most recent cohort are not currently reported for this program-school pairing.
Median graduate earnings of $83,554 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $74,993 across all institutions offering Cognitive Science, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at University of Virginia-Main Campus, the mean median-earnings figure is $92,649, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Cognitive Science graduates at University of Virginia-Main Campus is $15,625, which translates to roughly $130 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.19 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Cognitive Science at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University | $162,106 | — |
| Stanford University | $131,650 | $7,500 |
| Tufts University | $130,801 | $18,000 |
| University of California-Berkeley | $120,193 | $14,589 |
| University of Pennsylvania | $109,784 | $18,820 |
| University of California-Los Angeles | $102,066 | $13,000 |
| University of Southern California | $93,440 | $18,250 |
| University of Virginia-Main Campus (this school) | $83,554 | $15,625 |
| University of California-San Diego | $81,160 | $17,427 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $79,016 | $22,000 |
Other Programs at University of Virginia-Main Campus
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Law | $284,309 | $178,812 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $224,229 | $71,452 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | $180,312 | — |
| Business/Commerce, General | $180,117 | $61,118 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $156,433 | $55,378 |
| Systems Engineering | $152,854 | $37,900 |
| Computer Engineering | $148,175 | $16,875 |
| Systems Engineering | $144,830 | $19,500 |
| Business/Commerce, General | $142,113 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $142,041 | $16,547 |
View all 76 programs at University of Virginia-Main Campus →
Other Schools with Cognitive Science
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.