Which state pays neuroscience bachelor's graduates the most?

Massachusetts, where the median program pays its graduates $39,468 in their first year, the highest of 5 state rankings. New York is next, at $32,076.

Which neuroscience bachelor's program pays the most?

MIT in Massachusetts reports the highest first-year pay of the 96 programs ranked here, $48,125.

How much debt do neuroscience bachelor's graduates have?

The median program leaves its graduates with $22,927 in federal debt. Across programs, the median debt is 74% of first-year pay.

Highest-Paying Neuroscience (Bachelor's) Programs in the US

96 programs report first-year pay
5 state rankings
Bachelor's in Neurobiology and Neurosciences

College Scorecard June 2026 release · BLS wages May 2025

The short answer

The median neuroscience bachelor's program in the US pays its graduates $31,339 in their first year and $67,515 five years after. Massachusetts has the highest state median ($39,468), and Pennsylvania the lowest ($30,103). The median program leaves its graduates with $22,927 in federal debt.

Median first-year pay$31,339Across 96 programs

Median pay after 5 years$67,515Across 62 programs

Median federal debt$22,927Across 117 programs

Debt-to-earnings74%Across 88 programs

All 96 programs, ranked by graduate pay

Each program is ranked by the median pay of its graduates one year after they finished, from College Scorecard. This measures what graduates earn, not how good the teaching is. Pay also depends on where graduates live and work. Programs that don't report a figure are listed last when you sort by it.

#	School	Year 1 pay	After cost of living	Year 5 pay	Debt	Debt to pay
1	MITCambridge, MA · private nonprofit	$48,125	Not adjusted	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
2	Fordham UniversityBronx, NY · private nonprofit	$47,985	Not adjusted	Not reported	$26,917	56%
3	Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA · private nonprofit	$46,993	Not adjusted	$75,342	Not reported	Not reported
4	Macalester CollegeSaint Paul, MN · private nonprofit	$45,450	Not adjusted	Not reported	$24,177	53%
5	Union CollegeSchenectady, NY · private nonprofit	$44,927	Not adjusted	$67,210	$24,989	56%
6	Trinity CollegeHartford, CT · private nonprofit	$44,823	Not adjusted	Not reported	$24,022	54%
7	Wellesley CollegeWellesley, MA · private nonprofit	$44,687	Not adjusted	Not reported	$8,300	19%
8	Middlebury CollegeMiddlebury, VT · private nonprofit	$44,585	Not adjusted	Not reported	$11,900	27%
9	Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA · private nonprofit	$43,894	$41,505	$76,104	$25,000	57%
10	Bowdoin CollegeBrunswick, ME · private nonprofit	$43,373	Not adjusted	Not reported	$19,500	45%
11	Vassar CollegePoughkeepsie, NY · private nonprofit	$41,752	Not adjusted	Not reported	$16,000	38%
12	Dartmouth CollegeHanover, NH · private nonprofit	$41,673	Not adjusted	$71,866	$18,061	43%
13	Coe CollegeCedar Rapids, IA · private nonprofit	$40,867	Not adjusted	Not reported	$27,000	66%
14	Pomona CollegeClaremont, CA · private nonprofit	$39,967	Not adjusted	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
15	UPennPhiladelphia, PA · private nonprofit	$39,880	Not adjusted	$94,630	$12,000	30%
16	Wheaton College (Massachusetts)Norton, MA · private nonprofit	$39,842	Not adjusted	$75,330	$27,000	68%
17	University of New HampshireDurham, NH · public	$39,573	Not adjusted	$65,560	$26,841	68%
18	Boston UniversityBoston, MA · private nonprofit	$39,093	$36,965	$73,425	$26,000	67%
19	Western Washington UniversityBellingham, WA · public	$39,011	$36,454	Not reported	$22,000	56%
20	Emmanuel CollegeBoston, MA · private nonprofit	$39,006	$36,883	Not reported	$27,000	69%
21	Amherst CollegeAmherst, MA · private nonprofit	$38,387	Not adjusted	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
22	USCLos Angeles, CA · private nonprofit	$38,063	$34,378	$78,242	$15,750	41%
23	Westminster UniversitySalt Lake City, UT · private nonprofit	$37,735	Not adjusted	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
24	PurdueWest Lafayette, IN · public	$37,612	Not adjusted	Not reported	$21,177	56%
25	University of ChicagoChicago, IL · private nonprofit	$37,246	Not adjusted	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
26	Duke UniversityDurham, NC · private nonprofit	$37,208	Not adjusted	$73,810	$12,645	34%
27	Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA · private nonprofit	$36,727	Not adjusted	Not reported	$19,000	52%
28	Allegheny CollegeMeadville, PA · private nonprofit	$36,178	$37,078	$50,858	$27,000	75%
29	University of St Thomas (Minnesota)Saint Paul, MN · private nonprofit	$36,059	$36,563	Not reported	$27,000	75%
30	CU BoulderBoulder, CO · public	$35,980	$34,914	$69,375	$21,900	61%
31	Rhodes CollegeMemphis, TN · private nonprofit	$35,556	Not adjusted	Not reported	$19,500	55%
32	Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL · private nonprofit	$35,334	$35,349	Not reported	$16,948	48%
33	UT AustinAustin, TX · public	$34,820	$35,876	Not reported	$23,612	68%
34	Oberlin CollegeOberlin, OH · private nonprofit	$34,593	Not adjusted	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
35	University of VermontBurlington, VT · public	$34,547	Not adjusted	$53,346	$19,650	57%
36	William & MaryWilliamsburg, VA · public	$34,496	$34,119	$62,323	$16,378	47%
37	Augustana CollegeRock Island, IL · private nonprofit	$34,069	Not adjusted	$60,107	$26,002	76%
38	Columbia UniversityNew York, NY · private nonprofit	$33,893	Not adjusted	$77,489	$27,000	80%
39	University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA · private nonprofit	$33,641	$30,384	$84,851	$25,000	74%
40	Brown UniversityProvidence, RI · private nonprofit	$33,529	Not adjusted	$73,645	$9,250	28%
41	University of CincinnatiCincinnati, OH · public	$33,094	$35,672	$65,724	$25,000	76%
42	University of KentuckyLexington, KY · public	$33,030	$36,635	Not reported	$25,021	76%
43	Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ · private nonprofit	$32,647	Not adjusted	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
44	Grand Valley StateAllendale, MI · public	$32,644	$33,927	Not reported	$24,946	76%
45	Brandeis UniversityWaltham, MA · private nonprofit	$32,397	$30,633	$57,832	$26,499	82%
46	UC San DiegoLa Jolla, CA · public	$32,081	$28,975	$69,515	$19,000	59%
47	University of DelawareNewark, DE · public	$31,854	Not adjusted	$81,434	$25,024	79%
48	UW-MadisonMadison, WI · public	$31,687	$33,676	Not reported	$21,750	69%
49	University of Nevada-RenoReno, NV · public	$30,991	$30,998	$63,332	$21,377	69%
50	IU IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN · public	$30,984	$33,199	$54,430	$15,012	48%
51	Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · public	$30,956	$31,726	$51,432	$26,000	84%
52	UCLALos Angeles, CA · public	$30,501	$27,548	$79,689	$17,149	56%
53	Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, NY · private nonprofit	$30,259	Not adjusted	Not reported	$27,000	89%
54	Rhode Island CollegeProvidence, RI · public	$30,172	$29,499	$47,176	$25,000	83%
55	College of WoosterWooster, OH · private nonprofit	$29,942	Not adjusted	Not reported	$23,250	78%
56	UC DavisDavis, CA · public	$29,765	$26,883	$67,848	$13,000	44%
57	Ohio StateColumbus, OH · public	$29,638	$31,946	$63,324	$22,286	75%
58	Carthage CollegeKenosha, WI · private nonprofit	$29,454	Not adjusted	$70,826	$27,000	92%
59	Saint Edward's UniversityAustin, TX · private nonprofit	$29,418	$30,310	Not reported	$24,250	82%
60	Muhlenberg CollegeAllentown, PA · private nonprofit	$29,250	Not adjusted	$82,259	$27,000	92%
61	Virginia TechBlacksburg, VA · public	$29,081	$28,763	Not reported	$23,000	79%
62	Drew UniversityMadison, NJ · private nonprofit	$28,881	Not adjusted	Not reported	$25,000	87%
63	University of MinnesotaMinneapolis, MN · public	$28,441	$28,839	$70,275	$23,124	81%
64	Washington StatePullman, WA · public	$28,316	$26,460	$59,721	$18,647	66%
65	Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MI · public	$28,220	$29,330	$64,601	$27,000	96%
66	Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD · private nonprofit	$28,108	Not adjusted	$70,736	$12,750	45%
67	BYUProvo, UT · private nonprofit	$27,986	$28,308	$68,183	$13,978	50%
68	George MasonFairfax, VA · public	$27,859	$27,555	$88,888	$23,750	85%
69	University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA · public	$27,775	$28,466	$64,114	$23,000	83%
70	Colorado StateFort Collins, CO · public	$27,413	$26,601	Not reported	$20,481	75%
71	Michigan StateEast Lansing, MI · public	$27,183	$28,252	$64,682	$25,020	92%
72	North Central CollegeNaperville, IL · private nonprofit	$26,908	$26,919	Not reported	$23,323	87%
73	Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA · private nonprofit	$26,663	Not adjusted	$66,695	$18,246	68%
74	University of Nebraska at OmahaOmaha, NE · public	$26,497	Not adjusted	$60,474	$16,885	64%
75	Loyola ChicagoChicago, IL · private nonprofit	$26,251	$26,262	Not reported	$25,000	95%
76	UICChicago, IL · public	$26,074	$26,085	$65,663	$17,562	67%
77	Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · private nonprofit	$25,830	Not adjusted	$70,739	$15,796	61%
78	NYUNew York, NY · private nonprofit	$25,506	Not adjusted	$65,392	$19,500	76%
79	University of ArizonaTucson, AZ · public	$25,460	$25,289	$62,984	$21,754	85%
80	UT DallasRichardson, TX · public	$25,395	$26,165	$59,090	$19,611	77%
81	Binghamton UniversityVestal, NY · public	$25,266	$23,412	$75,089	$20,250	80%
82	IU BloomingtonBloomington, IN · public	$25,202	$27,003	$67,819	$22,945	91%
83	University of ScrantonScranton, PA · private nonprofit	$25,057	Not adjusted	$61,736	$27,000	108%
84	UC Santa CruzSanta Cruz, CA · public	$25,034	$22,610	$63,496	$19,500	78%
85	Notre DameNotre Dame, IN · private nonprofit	$24,615	Not adjusted	Not reported	$19,500	79%
86	Barnard CollegeNew York, NY · private nonprofit	$24,569	$22,766	Not reported	$17,491	71%
87	Baylor UniversityWaco, TX · private nonprofit	$24,100	$24,831	$54,859	$27,000	112%
88	University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI · public	$23,468	$24,391	$68,761	$18,268	78%
89	University of WashingtonSeattle, WA · public	$23,464	$21,926	$64,696	$17,057	73%
90	Georgia StateAtlanta, GA · public	$22,865	$23,745	$63,905	$26,000	114%
91	Saint Louis UniversitySaint Louis, MO · private nonprofit	$22,459	Not adjusted	Not reported	$27,000	120%
92	Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, LA · private nonprofit	$22,270	Not adjusted	$69,033	$19,500	88%
93	UNC Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC · public	$22,183	$23,517	Not reported	$14,825	67%
94	UC IrvineIrvine, CA · public	$21,818	$19,706	Not reported	$20,500	94%
95	University of TennesseeKnoxville, TN · public	$21,138	$23,009	Not reported	$18,500	88%
96	UC RiversideRiverside, CA · public	$19,286	$17,419	$65,261	$19,803	103%

Pay after cost of living divides first-year pay by the Bureau of Economic Analysis price level of the school's state, where the US average is 100. It is shown for 52 programs where at least half of the graduates who work are working in the school's state. The other 44, whose graduates mostly work in other states or whose state has no price level, are listed last when you sort by it.

8 programs report pay but not debt, so they are ranked only by pay.

College Scorecard withholds pay for programs with too few graduates, to protect their privacy, so those programs can't be ranked.

Neuroscience (Bachelor's) programs by state

Each row is the median across the state's neuroscience bachelor's programs. State names link to the full ranking of that state's programs.

#	State	Programs	Year 1 pay	Debt
1	Massachusetts	10	$39,468	$24,938
2	New York	8	$32,076	$20,250
3	California	9	$30,501	$19,500
4	Illinois	6	$30,489	$25,000
5	Pennsylvania	6	$30,103	$27,000

Programs in 28 more states and territories report pay, but too few to rank. A state ranking needs at least five programs that report both pay and debt.

Quick picks nationwide

Lowest median debt

Wellesley College, MA$8,300
UPenn, PA$12,000
UC Davis, CA$13,000
USC, CA$15,750
Vassar College, NY$16,000
Northwestern University, IL$16,948
UCLA, CA$17,149
Barnard College, NY$17,491
UIC, IL$17,562
Smith College, MA$19,000

Lowest debt for the pay

Wellesley College, MA19%
UPenn, PA30%
Vassar College, NY38%
USC, CA41%
UC Davis, CA44%
Northwestern University, IL48%
Smith College, MA52%
Union College, NY56%
Fordham University, NY56%
UCLA, CA56%

Only the 34 programs with their own page here are included. "Debt for the pay" is median debt divided by first-year pay.

Careers this field leads to

These are the jobs that the federal crosswalk from fields of study to occupations links to neuroscience, largest first. Pay is the median across the US and all experience levels.

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists

$103,410

Median pay in the US. 172,340 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 13% from 2025 to 2035, with about 10,500 openings a year. Typical education to start: doctoral or professional degree.

Bottom 10%: $64,800Top 10%: $177,780

Natural Sciences Managers

$167,220

Median pay in the US. 108,690 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 9,200 openings a year. Typical education to start: bachelor's degree, plus 5 years or more of related work experience.

Bottom 10%: $79,710Top 10%: $316,850

Biological Technicians

$57,510

Median pay in the US. 69,620 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 9,400 openings a year. Typical education to start: bachelor's degree.

Bottom 10%: $40,330Top 10%: $84,940

Common questions

The median neuroscience bachelor's program in the US pays its graduates $31,339 in their first year and $67,515 five years after.

About this data

Earnings and debt only include students who received federal financial aid, and earnings only count graduates who were working and not enrolled in more school.
Debt only includes federal loans. Private loans and credit cards are not counted.
Medians are across programs, not students: each program counts once, however many graduates it has.
National medians include every program in the 50 states, DC, and US territories, including schools that have since closed. Schools with several campuses that report one combined figure are counted once.
Programs are ranked by College Scorecard median pay one year after graduation. Pay after cost of living uses the price level of the school's state.
Scorecard figures describe graduating classes from several years ago. BLS wages are from May 2025. Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024.

Sources

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study and institution files, June 2026 release
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
NCES, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024