Cognitive Science at Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Rutgers' Cognitive Science program produces graduates earning $38,132 their first year—below the national median of $41,362 but exactly matching New Jersey's program average. While the 38th percentile nationally might seem underwhelming, the 60th percentile within New Jersey tells a more nuanced story: this is actually performing reasonably well for the state. The real standout here is debt: at $25,018, graduates carry significantly less than many peer programs, landing in just the 6th percentile nationally for debt burden. That 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio is quite manageable by most standards.

The challenge is that $38,000 doesn't stretch far in the New Jersey/New York metro area, where living costs run high. Cognitive science is inherently interdisciplinary—spanning psychology, computer science, and neuroscience—which means career outcomes vary widely depending on which technical skills students develop. Those who lean into programming or data analysis typically see stronger earnings trajectories than those pursuing more research-oriented paths.

For parents, the calculation comes down to post-graduation plans. If your child intends to pursue graduate school (common in this field), the modest debt load is actually an advantage. If they're planning to work immediately, encourage them to build concrete technical skills through coursework and internships—the degree alone won't command premium salaries without them. The program's value depends heavily on how students leverage it.