Cognitive Science at The University of Texas at Dallas

Is a bachelor's degree in cognitive science worth $17,500 in debt when peer programs suggest first-year earnings around $41,000? The short answer depends on how UT Dallas stacks up against its Texas peers—and here the numbers raise questions. The state's small pool of cognitive science programs (just three schools) shows a median starting salary of $47,500, with Rice graduates earning exactly that amount. UT Dallas's estimated $41,000 falls about $6,500 short, a meaningful gap when you're trying to pay down debt.

The debt picture itself looks manageable at first glance—a 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates would owe less than half their first-year salary. That's better than many bachelor's programs nationally. But comparable programs in Texas carry lower debt loads (around $13,000 median versus the estimated $17,500 here), which matters when earnings are also trailing the state benchmark. Your child would be borrowing more to potentially earn less than peers at other Texas schools.

The practical takeaway: this program appears to underperform its in-state competition on both sides of the equation. Before committing, push the school for actual outcomes data for their cognitive science graduates—employment rates, typical job titles, and whether the interdisciplinary nature of this major leads to clear career paths. The estimates suggest caution, but real numbers from UT Dallas could tell a different story.