Cognitive Science at University of Richmond

A Bachelor's in Cognitive Science at University of Richmond comes with an estimated $18,000 in debt—roughly on par with the national median—and peer programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $41,000. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44 is manageable, falling well below the concerning 1.0 threshold where annual debt equals first-year salary. For context, Virginia's only other cognitive science program with public data (UVA) reports significantly lower earnings at $27,628, though that single comparison point makes state-level benchmarking less reliable here.

The bigger question is what Richmond's selective environment (23% admission rate, 1474 SAT average) adds to this equation. Cognitive science graduates from comparable programs nationwide typically earn about $41,000, but that figure spans institutions with vastly different resources and networks. Richmond's small class sizes and proximity to D.C.'s research and policy sectors could translate to stronger outcomes than the national baseline suggests, though without school-specific data, that remains speculative. The relatively low proportion of Pell students (18%) indicates the campus tends to draw from higher-income families who may have additional financial cushion.

If your child is genuinely passionate about cognitive science and Richmond's interdisciplinary approach fits their learning style, the estimated debt load isn't prohibitive. But given the uncertainty around actual outcomes for Richmond graduates specifically, ensure your family can absorb that $18,000 without strain—and understand you're partly betting on the school's broader reputation to lift those earnings above what peer programs typically produce.