Stanford University

How this program compares

At an estimated $270.9K in total tuition, the BS in Symbolic Systems - Artificial Intelligence Concentration sits about 213% above the $86.6K average for AI bachelor's programs in our database — placing it in the 96th percentile on cost among the 232 we track at this level. It is one of the 57% of programs in our database offered fully or partly online.

Admission Snapshot

Typical admitted student: Applicants must have a high school diploma with strong academic performance (GPA typically 3.8+) and competitive standardized test scores (SAT 1470+ or ACT 33+). Stanford's admission process is highly selective and considers extracurricular achievements, essays, and demonstrated interest in computer science and artificial intelligence.

About This Program

This interdisciplinary program explores the relationship between natural and artificial systems, combining computer science, psychology, philosophy, and linguistics. Coursework concentrates on Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP). Most students complete it in about 4 years.

Estimated total tuition is $270.9K, above the $86.6K average for AI bachelor's programs in our database and in the 96th percentile on cost at this level. Applicants should weigh that premium against the program's outcomes and brand.

Enter AI Research Scientist career in Cross-Industry AI with machine learning focus Graduates frequently move into roles such as AI Research Scientist, with reported salaries around $135,000.

Career Outcomes

Enter AI Research Scientist career in Cross-Industry AI with machine learning focus

• 1. Machine Learning Engineer
• 2. AI Research Scientist
• 3. Robotics Engineer
• 4. AI/ML Product Manager

What You'll Learn

• Design and implement neuro-symbolic systems that combine deep learning with logical reasoning for flexible problem-solving and transfer learning across domains.[1]
• Apply compositional learning frameworks to build agents capable of understanding visual concepts, natural language instructions, and robotic control tasks.[1]
• Develop algorithms for continual learning and concept acquisition from multimodal data streams with data-efficient training methods.[1]
• Integrate symbolic program execution with neural perception to enable question answering, reasoning about unseen tasks, and human-AI instruction interpretation.[1]

Curriculum Highlights

The concentration includes core courses in logic and probability, plus advanced study in machine learning, natural language processing, and neural networks.

Top Employers

Top employers include Google, OpenAI, DeepMind, Microsoft, Meta, and leading robotics companies like Boston Dynamics and Tesla.

Admissions

Applicants must have a high school diploma with strong academic performance (GPA typically 3.8+) and competitive standardized test scores (SAT 1470+ or ACT 33+). Stanford's admission process is highly selective and considers extracurricular achievements, essays, and demonstrated interest in computer science and artificial intelligence.

Application Materials

• Personal Essays: Required
• Letters of Recommendation: 2–3
• Transcripts: Official high school transcripts required
• Standardized Test Scores: SAT or ACT required

Academic Requirements

• Degree Required: Bachelor of Science (BS)
• GRE/GMAT: Not Required (undergraduate degree)
• TOEFL/IELTS: Required for international students (TOEFL 100+, IELTS 7.0+)