Neurobiology & Neurosciences Major

Neurobiology and neurosciences is a major that typically falls into the Biological & Biomedical Sciences category.

There are 1 programs available throughout the country that offer an associate’s degree in neurobiology, 228 that offer a bachelor’s degree, and 108 that offer a master’s degree. There are also at least 141 schools in the nation where you can get your doctorate degree in the field.

Who Is Getting a Neurobiology Degree?

Neurobiology and neurosciences runs middle of the road when it comes to popularity, ranking #61 out of all the majors we track. In 2017, about 7,100 graduates completed their bachelor’s degree in this major. The major attracts more women than men. About 65.3% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial Distribution

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

• Asian: 21.2%
• Black or African American: 5.1%
• Hispanic or Latino: 10.5%
• White: 52.2%
• Non-Resident Alien: 3.7%
• Other Races: 7.2%

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in neurobiology. About 3.7% of those graduating in 2017 were international students. The most popular countries sending neurobiology majors to the U.S. are China, India and Canada.

What Will You Learn as a Neurobiology & Neurosciences Major?

An O*NET survey asked people with careers related to neurobiology to rate how important certain subject areas were to their job. The following are some of the results of that survey. Importance was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Neurobiology Majors

Neurobiology majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

Skills for Neurobiology Majors

When studying neurobiology, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

Abilities for Neurobiology Majors

As you progress with your neurobiology degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

What Can You Do With a Neurobiology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with neurobiology:

Careers Related to Neurobiology & Neurosciences

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860
Clinical Research Coordinators	9.9%	$123,860
Biological Science Professors	15.1%	$82,550
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists	13.4%	$84,810
Molecular and Cellular Biologists	8%	$79,590

Neurobiology & Neurosciences Major Salary

Neurobiology majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $84,000 to $97,000. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, the typical high school graduate makes between $29,000 and $57,000 a year. The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $44,000 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,000 and $120,000.

The area of the country you choose to work in will also affect your career and salary prospects. Getting a graduate degree may open up more options with higher salary potential.

Amount of Education Required for Neurobiology & Neurosciences Major Jobs

Some careers associated with neurobiology require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for neurobiology careers below.

Education Levels for Careers Associated With Neurobiology & Neurosciences

Level of Education	Percentage of Workers
Less Than a High School Diploma	0.7%
High School Diploma or Equivalent	1.7%
Post-Secondary Certificate	1.7%
Some College Courses	0%
Associate's Degree or Equivalent	2.4%
Bachelor's Degree	25.2%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate	1.6%
Master's Degree	14.8%
Post-Master's Certificate	0%
First Professional Degree	0%
Doctoral Degree	25.7%
Post-Doctoral Training	26.4%

Online Neurobiology & Neurosciences Programs

There are 228 colleges that offer a bachelor’s degree in neurobiology and neurosciences, with 0 of them offering at least some courses online.

Online learners must listen or watch video lectures, participate in group chats or forums, submit papers and assignments electronically, take tests, and meet deadlines.

Getting your degree online is not easy and includes watching and listening to hours of lectures, participating in group charts, submitting papers by the appropriate deadline and taking tests. Some online programs will also feature internships or in-person clinical hours.

Is a Neurobiology & Neurosciences Major Worth It?

The median salary for a neurobiology grad is $96,000 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 148% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,150,400 after 20 years!

Related Majors

• General Biology
• Biochemistry & Biophysics
• Botany/Plant Biology
• Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences
• Microbiology Science & Immunology
• Zoology
• Genetics
• Physiology & Pathology Sciences
• Pharmacology & Toxicology
• Biomathematics & Bioinformatics
• Biotechnology
• Ecology & Systematics Biology
• Molecular Medicine
• Neurobiology & Neurosciences
• Other Biological Sciences

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
O*NET Online
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