Cognitive Scienceat University of California-Davis
Graduates earn $42,342/yr in their first year — about 12.0% below the national Cognitive Science average. Base-case 10-year earnings $489K; scenarios range from $464K to $489K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC Davis
At $42,342/yr, Cognitive Science graduates from University of California-Davis land near the $47,910 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.
A 8.0x earnings multiple over ten years puts this program in solid financial territory. Tuition is well-justified by projected earnings.
The 5% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Cognitive Science career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
The median debt load of $15,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
A #11 ranking among 19 Cognitive Science programs places University of California-Davis in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to UC Davis's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Cognitive Science
How UC Davis stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UC Davis
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC Davis, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Cognitive Science at UC Davis
What does a 43/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Cognitive Science at University of California-Davis?
At 43/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Cognitive Science programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.