Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Neurobiology & Neurosciences Major

Find Schools Near

Neurobiology & Neurosciences

10,308 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
449 Master's Degrees Annually
#50 in Popularity
$96,420 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Neurobiology & Neurosciences Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many neurobiology and neurosciences graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 10,308
Doctor’s Degree 696
Master’s Degree 449
Graduate Certificate 96
Basic Certificate 36
Undergraduate Certificate 29
Associate Degree 1

What Neurobiology & Neurosciences Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, neurobiology majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Neurobiology Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

undefined
  • Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Skills for Neurobiology Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to neurobiology:

undefined
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for Neurobiology Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a neurobiology student include the following:

undefined
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Neurobiology & Neurosciences Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with neurobiology:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Biological Science Professors 15.1% $82,550
Clinical Research Coordinators 9.9% $123,860
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 13.4% $84,810
Molecular and Cellular Biologists 8.0% $79,590
Natural Sciences Managers 9.9% $123,860

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Neurobiology & Neurosciences?

10,308 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
69% Percent Women
44% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
Neurobiology and Neurosciences runs middle of the road when it comes to popularity, ranking #50 out of all the undergraduate majors we track. In 2021, about 10,308 graduates completed their bachelor’s degree in this field. The major attracts more women than men. About 69% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of neurobiology majors is as follows:

undefined
Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 2,153
Black or African American 617
Hispanic or Latino 1,252
White 5,100
International Students 430
Other Races/Ethnicities 756

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Neurobiology, too. About 4.2% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • China
  • India
  • Canada
  • South Korea
  • Taiwan

How Much Do Neurobiology & Neurosciences Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that neurobiology and neurosciences students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a bachelor’s degree made a median starting salary of $28,675 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $23,194 (25th percentile) and $33,641 (75th percentile).

undefined

Note that some of these people may have jobs that are not directly related to a neurobiology degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $83,600 to $97,340 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to neurobiology. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for a Neurobiology & Neurosciences Major  ( 83600 to 97340 )
0K
250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
0K
250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
0K
250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
0K
250K

Some careers associated with neurobiology require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to neurobiology have obtained the following education levels.

undefined
Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 0.7%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 1.7%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) 1.7%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 2.4%
Bachelor’s Degree 25.2%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 1.6%
Master’s Degree 14.8%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. 0.0%
Doctoral Degree 25.7%
Post-Doctoral Training 26.4%

Online Neurobiology & Neurosciences Programs

In 2020-2021, 344 schools offered a neurobiology program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 4 1
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 1 0
Bachelor’s Degree 11 2
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 117 1
Post-Master’s 3 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 143 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 1 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Neurobiology & Neurosciences Worth It?

The median salary for a neurobiology grad is $96,420 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 142% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,130,400 after 20 years!

undefined

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to neurobiology.

Major Number of Grads
General Biology 107,165
Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology 14,535
Physiology & Pathology Sciences 8,813
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology 7,247
Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences 6,206
Microbiological Sciences & Immunology 4,566
Biological & Biomedical Sciences (Other) 4,420
Biotechnology 3,911
Zoology 2,984
Biomathematics & Bioinformatics 2,957
Genetics 1,543
Pharmacology & Toxicology 1,042
Botany/Plant Biology 691
Molecular Medicine 83

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Featured Schools

Find Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited colleges across the U.S.