by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 32 U.S. colleges awarded 1,447 degrees and certificates in Behavioral Neuroscience. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 95% of graduates. College Factual ranks 16 schools in its 2027 Best Behavioral Neuroscience Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $34,806 one year after completing, rising to $58,844 after four years.
A degree in Behavioral Neuroscience covers Behavioral Neuroscience. A Program That Focuses On The Scientific Study Of The Biological Bases Of Behavior And Psychological Functioning, And Their Application To Experimental And Therapeutic Research Problems. Includes Instruction In Functional Neuroanatomy, Neural System Development, Biochemical Neural Regulatory Mechanisms, Neurological Biophysics, Memory Storage And Retrieval, Physiology Of Cognition And Perception, Physiological Bases Of Psychopathology And Behavioral Disorders, Psychopharmacology, Comparative Psychobiology, Molecular And Cellular Neuroscience, Brain Science, Anatomy And Physiology Of The Central Nervous System, And Specialized Experimental Design And Research Methods. Examples: [Physiological Psychology], [Psychobiology].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, behavioral neuroscience is a popular field of study, with 1,447 degrees awarded annually. 32 colleges award behavioral neuroscience degrees, an average of 45 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 400.
By level, the 1,447 awards include 7 certificates, 1,372 bachelor’s degrees, 43 master’s degrees and 25 doctorates.
Women earned 78% of behavioral neuroscience degrees and certificates in the latest year (1,126 of 1,447). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (589) and Hispanic or Latino (287), and international students earned 65.
College Factual ranks 16 schools in its 2027 Best Behavioral Neuroscience Schools ranking, including 14 for bachelor’s degrees, 3 for master’s degrees and 2 for doctorates. It also ranks behavioral neuroscience schools within 9 states. In all, 32 colleges offer behavioral neuroscience programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Behavioral Neuroscience Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common behavioral neuroscience credential is the bachelor’s degree: 1,372 of the 1,447 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to behavioral neuroscience call most for Reading Comprehension, Active Listening and Speaking, and for knowledge of English Language, Education and Training and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a behavioral neuroscience degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 7 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,372 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 43 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 25 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to behavioral neuroscience, at 30.4%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 30.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 26.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 17.1% |
| Master’s degree | 12.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.6% |
| Some college courses | 1.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.5% |
Source: O*NET Online.
17 occupations are related to Behavioral Neuroscience, with an average median salary of $96,108; the strongest outlook belongs to Compliance Managers, at 13.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Abnormal Psychology Teacher, Industrial Psychology Professor, Psychology Faculty Member and Teacher.
The occupation related to behavioral neuroscience with the most projected jobs is Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary, at 513,614.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | 513,614 | -3.0% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
| Clinical Neuropsychologists | 216,013 | 8.9% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| Neuropsychologists | 186,493 | 6.5% |
| Geneticists | 183,832 | -1.1% |
Behavioral Neuroscience graduates earn a median $34,806 one year after completing their program, $58,844 after four years and $59,483 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $34,806 |
| 4 years | $58,844 |
| 5 years | $59,483 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to behavioral neuroscience is Wind Energy Development Managers, with a median salary of $169,952.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | $100,077 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,479 |
| Life Scientists, All Other | $97,541 |
Behavioral Neuroscience has 9 similar majors in the Psychology field, which together award 23,056 degrees a year; the largest are Research and Experimental Psychology, Other (14,964), Experimental Psychology (5,021) and Developmental and Child Psychology (1,864). Browse all Psychology majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Research and Experimental Psychology, Other | 14,964 |
| Experimental Psychology | 5,021 |
| Developmental and Child Psychology | 1,864 |
| Social Psychology | 458 |
| Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics | 425 |
| Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology | 211 |
| Psychopharmacology | 74 |
| Personality Psychology | 23 |
| Comparative Psychology | 16 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
