2027 Best Value Cognitive Science Schools in New York
[Cognitive Science](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/cognitive-science/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong cognitive science education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for cognitive science students.
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2027 Best Value Cognitive Science Schools in New York
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in cognitive science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Cognitive Science Schools
University At Buffalo tops our 2027 list of the best value cognitive science schools in New York. University At Buffalo is a very large public school located in the suburb of Buffalo. Students from in state pay about $10,936 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $31,536. Cognitive Science graduates carry a median of $22,232 in student loans. Cognitive Science graduates of University At Buffalo earn a median of $52,403 early in their careers. Set against $22,232 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University At Buffalo admits about 74% of applicants.
Columbia University In The City Of New York is a great value for students pursuing a degree in cognitive science, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,517. Typical student debt for cognitive science graduates is $23,258. Early-career cognitive science graduates make about $86,770. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Columbia University In The City Of New York admits about 4% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Barnard College earned it the #3 place for cognitive science. Barnard College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $69,888. Typical student debt for cognitive science graduates is $17,609. Early-career cognitive science graduates make about $50,790. Set against $17,609 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 9%.
A rank of #4 makes New York University one of the best values for cognitive science. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $62,796. Students borrow a median of $21,897 to complete the cognitive science program here. Soon after graduation, cognitive science degree recipients from New York University generally make around $64,516. Set against $21,897 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
Vassar College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in cognitive science, landing the #5 spot this year. Vassar College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Poughkeepsie. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $71,030. Cognitive Science graduates carry a median of $18,486 in student loans. Early-career cognitive science graduates make about $37,412. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Vassar College admits about 19% of applicants.
More Cognitive Science Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
