Best institutions to study Cognitive Science
A program that focuses on the study of the mind and the nature of intelligence from the interdisciplinary perspectives of computer science, philosophy, mathematics, psychology, neuroscience, and other disciplines.
71 U.S. institutions graduated 3,497 Cognitive Science students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 30.2501, a specialization of Cognitive Science (CIP 30.25), and leads most directly to the Natural Sciences Managers occupation (BLS SOC 11-9121).
About Cognitive Science programs
A program that focuses on the study of the mind and the nature of intelligence from the interdisciplinary perspectives of computer science, philosophy, mathematics, psychology, neuroscience, and other disciplines. Includes instruction in mathematics and logic, cognitive process modeling, dynamic systems, learning theories, brain and cognition, neural networking, programming, and applications to topics such as language acquisition, computer systems, and perception and behavior.
See also: 42.2701 - Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Cognitive Science program offers an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the mind and intelligence, integrating insights from computer science, philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and more. This program is ideal for students interested in exploring complex cognitive processes and their applications in various fields, including technology and education.
Students in this program will gain essential skills in mathematics, logic, cognitive process modeling, and programming. Coursework typically covers topics such as learning theories, brain and cognition, and perception and behavior, equipping graduates with a well-rounded understanding of cognitive science.
Credentials awarded
What Cognitive Science graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree3,333 graduates / yr · 58 institutions95%
- Master's degree80 graduates / yr · 13 institutions2.3%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship61 graduates / yr · 15 institutions1.7%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate15 graduates / yr · 4 institutions0.4%
- Post-master's certificate5 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.1%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year3 graduates / yr · 3 institutions0.1%
Graduates over time
Cognitive Science completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 643 |
| 2013 | 788 |
| 2014 | 1,014 |
| 2015 | 1,109 |
| 2016 | 1,213 |
| 2017 | 1,508 |
| 2018 | 1,736 |
| 2019 | 2,066 |
| 2020 | 2,506 |
| 2021 | 2,521 |
| 2022 | 2,552 |
| 2023 | 2,665 |
| 2024 | 2,800 |
| 2025 | 3,497 |
Top 50 institutions for Cognitive Science, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 856 | 86% | — | $39,839 |
| 2 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAPublicBachelor's | 307 | 93% | — | $53,962 |
| 3 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CAPublicBachelor's | 280 | 93% | — | $64,559 |
| 4 | University of California - Davis Davis, CAPublicBachelor's | 194 | 86% | — | $42,342 |
| 5 | University of California - Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CAPublicBachelor's | 181 | 75% | — | $35,384 |
| 6 | Stanford University Stanford, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 121 | 92% | $12,032 | $105,695 |
| 7 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 118 | 93% | — | $44,698 |
| 8 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 95 | 97% | $22,055 | $84,314 |
| 9 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 89 | 92% | $26,873 | $34,295 |
| 10 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 84 | 96% | $11,666 | — |
| 11 | University of Georgia Athens, GAPublicBachelor's | 81 | 90% | — | $41,362 |
| 12 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, ILPublicBachelor's | 72 | 85% | — | — |
| 13 | University of Delaware Newark, DEPublicBachelor's | 70 | 81% | — | — |
| 14 | Yale University New Haven, CTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 66 | 96% | $27,025 | — |
| 15 | University of California - Merced Merced, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 66 | 69% | — | $32,419 |
| 16 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJPublicBachelor's | 60 | 84% | — | $38,132 |
| 17 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TNPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 59 | 94% | $14,854 | $38,752 |
| 18 | Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MOPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 52 | 94% | $14,126 | $30,996 |
| 19 | Tufts University Medford, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sDoctoral | 48 | 94% | $23,570 | $75,672 |
| 20 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 40 | 87% | — | — |
| 21 | Rice University Houston, TXPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 36 | 95% | $13,264 | $47,459 |
| 22 | Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OHPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 34 | 87% | $27,976 | $30,198 |
| 23 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 33 | 96% | $15,315 | — |
| 24 | The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TXPublicBachelor's | 32 | 76% | — | — |
| 25 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MDPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 29 | 94% | $11,888 | $42,602 |
| 26 | Dartmouth College Hanover, NHPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 28 | 96% | $14,689 | — |
| 27 | Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, INPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 23 | 80% | — | — |
| 28 | University of Chicago Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 22 | 96% | $13,333 | — |
| 29 | University of Minnesota - Duluth Duluth, MNPublicBachelor's | 21 | 65% | — | — |
| 30 | Barnard College New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 20 | 93% | $24,675 | — |
| 31 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NYPublicBachelor's | 19 | 75% | — | — |
| 32 | New York University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 17 | 88% | $29,023 | — |
| 33 | United States Military Academy West Point, NYPublicBachelor's | 17 | 87% | — | — |
| 34 | Occidental College Los Angeles, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 16 | 81% | $28,024 | — |
| 35 | Carleton College Northfield, MNPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 15 | 90% | $18,669 | — |
| 36 | Lehigh University Bethlehem, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 15 | 88% | $26,912 | — |
| 37 | Marquette University Milwaukee, WIPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 14 | 83% | $25,376 | — |
| 38 | Emory University Atlanta, GAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralMaster's | 12 | 91% | $20,586 | — |
| 39 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoral | 12 | 84% | $28,900 | — |
| 40 | Pomona College Claremont, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 11 | 93% | $16,571 | — |
| 41 | University of Richmond University of Richmond, VAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 11 | 85% | $24,049 | — |
| 42 | Northwestern University Evanston, ILPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 10 | 95% | $14,799 | — |
| 43 | Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 10 | 91% | $29,107 | — |
| 44 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 9 | 94% | $23,803 | — |
| 45 | Brown University Providence, RIPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 9 | 96% | $14,644 | — |
| 46 | Pitzer College Claremont, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 8 | 83% | $23,248 | — |
| 47 | Cornell University Ithaca, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 8 | 95% | $17,613 | — |
| 48 | Scripps College Claremont, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 7 | 83% | $26,171 | — |
| 49 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MIPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 7 | 81% | — | — |
| 50 | Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 6 | 84% | $27,178 | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Cognitive Science field (CIP 30.25) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 26 states
Where Cognitive Science graduates come from. Each state links to all Cognitive Science programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 11-9121, Natural Sciences Managers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Cognitive Science program can pursue careers as Natural Sciences Managers or Postsecondary Teachers, among other roles. With an annual growth rate of 3.7% and approximately 8,500 annual openings, the field offers a median wage of $161,180, with a typical education requirement of a Bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 30.2501
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Natural Sciences Managersprimary SOC 11-9121 | $167,220 | +3.7% About as fast as average | ~8,500 | Bachelor's degree |
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other SOC 25-1199 | $77,640 | +1.8% Little or no change | ~13,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Cognitive Science programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Hire, supervise, or evaluate engineers, technicians, researchers, or other staff.
- Design or coordinate successive phases of problem analysis, solution proposals, or testing.
- Plan or direct research, development, or production activities.
- Review project activities and prepare and review research, testing, or operational reports.
- Confer with scientists, engineers, regulators, or others to plan or review projects or to provide technical assistance.
- Develop client relationships and communicate with clients to explain proposals, present research findings, establish specifications, or discuss project status.
Tools and technology used
Other Cognitive Science specializations
The 2 other 6-digit CIP codes under Cognitive Science (CIP 30.25).
Show 1 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Cognitive Science30.2599
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What is Cognitive Science?+
Cognitive Science is the study of the mind and intelligence from various interdisciplinary perspectives.
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's, Master's, Doctor's degree, or a Postbaccalaureate certificate.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, active listening, and knowledge in biology, computers, and more.
What career opportunities are available?+
Career options include Natural Sciences Managers and Postsecondary Teachers, with a strong job outlook.
What is the CIP code for Cognitive Science?+
Cognitive Science is CIP 30.2501 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Cognitive Science (CIP 30.25). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the study of the mind and the nature of intelligence from the interdisciplinary perspectives of computer science, philosophy, mathematics, psychology, neuroscience, and other disciplines. Includes instruction in mathematics and logic, cognitive process modeling, dynamic systems, learning theories, brain and cognition, neural networking, programming, and applications to topics such as language acquisition, computer systems, and perception and behavior.
How many institutions offer Cognitive Science programs?+
71 U.S. institutions reported Cognitive Science graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 26 states, awarding 3,497 credentials in the year. That is 99.9% of all Cognitive Science graduates.
How much do Cognitive Science graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Natural Sciences Managers occupation, which Cognitive Science most directly leads to, pays a median of $167,220 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Cognitive Science field report median earnings of $42,342 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license. This specialization accounts for nearly all Cognitive Science graduates, so its figures match the Cognitive Science program page.
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