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Neuroscientist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a neuroscientist. Neuroscientists usually study biology, neuroscience, or psychology. 58% of neuroscientists hold a bachelor's degree, and 32% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 20 real neuroscientist resumes to see exactly what neuroscientist education sections show.
The most common colleges for neuroscientists are the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of California, Santa Barbara.
There are also many online neuroscientist courses to help get the education required to be a neuroscientist.
What education do you need to become a neuroscientist?
What degree do you need to be a neuroscientist?
- Bachelor's, 58%
- Doctorate, 32%
- Master's, 5%
- Associate, 5%
What should I major in to become a neuroscientist?
- Biology, 25%
- Neuroscience, 20%
- Psychology, 10%
- Other Majors, 35%
Most common colleges for neuroscientists
| Neuroscientist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 14.29% |
| St. Mary's University | 7.14% |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | 7.14% |
| Purdue University | 7.14% |
| Boston University | 7.14% |
Best majors for neuroscientists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 25.0% |
| 2 | Neuroscience | 20.0% |
| 3 | Psychology | 10.0% |
| 4 | Physiology And Anatomy | 10.0% |
| 5 | Pharmacology | 5.0% |
Best colleges for neuroscientists
The best colleges for neuroscientists are Columbia University in the City of New York, Harvard University, and Duke University.
A neuroscientist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for neuroscientists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become neuroscientists.
1. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
4. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
5. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
20 best online courses for neuroscientists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for neuroscientists
The most affordable schools for neuroscientists are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for neuroscientists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for neuroscientists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for neuroscientists
The hardest universities for neuroscientists to get into are Columbia University in the City of New York, Harvard University, and Duke University.
Some great schools for neuroscientists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for neuroscientists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
10. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for neuroscientists
The easiest schools for neuroscientists to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, d'youville college, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a neuroscientist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for neuroscientists.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
5. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
6. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
7. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
8. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
9. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
10. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
Average neuroscientist salary by education level
| Neuroscientist education level | Neuroscientist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $72,721 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $70,515 |
| Doctorate Degree | $78,498 |
Neuroscientist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025