Cognitive Science at University of Wisconsin-Stout

Based on peer cognitive science programs nationally, UW-Stout's bachelor's degree produces first-year earnings around $41,362—right at the national median for this field. With estimated debt of $17,481, you're looking at a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42, meaning graduates would owe roughly five months of their first year's salary. That's manageable by most standards, though the small number of programs reporting nationally (just 19 for earnings, 11 for debt) means these estimates come from a limited pool of comparable schools.

The caveat here is significant: these figures represent what similar cognitive science programs produce, not what UW-Stout's graduates specifically achieve. Cognitive science sits at the intersection of psychology, computer science, and philosophy, and career outcomes can vary dramatically depending on whether graduates lean toward research, UX design, data analysis, or other paths. The national spread from median to 75th percentile suggests a $9,000 difference in first-year earnings based on how graduates position themselves in the job market.

For parents, the modest debt load is reassuring, but you're essentially betting on this interdisciplinary major translating into marketable skills. Ask the department what their recent graduates are actually doing and whether the curriculum emphasizes the technical skills (programming, statistics) that tend to command higher salaries in this field. Without school-specific outcomes data, your best insurance is confirming that students graduate with concrete, demonstrable competencies that employers recognize.