[College research](/) / [Rankings](/rankings/)

# Best Neuroscience Programs in the West (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Regional list from [Best Neuroscience Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-neuroscience-programs/)

This page ranks the 15 Neuroscience programs in the West by median earnings of Neuroscience graduates four years after completing, highest first. [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) leads the list at 1st with median earnings of $89,203 four years after completing.

Across the listed schools, the figure ranges from $89,203 to $24,035, with a median of $57,769. For 2 of the 15 programs the earnings figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 12 of the 15 schools, or 80% of the list. University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the strongest showing on the page.

University of California-San Diego posts the lowest average net price, at $12,470.

## The ranked list

15 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $89,203 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
|  | [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) reports [median earnings of $89,203](/school/university-of-southern-california/outcomes/) for its Neuroscience graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 10%. |
| 2 | University of San Diego · San Diego, CA | $72,910 | $30,365 | $15,586 | 52.4% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed at [University of San Diego](/school/university-of-san-diego/majors/) left with a [median of $22,940](/school/university-of-san-diego/outcomes/) in federal loans, while the school's Neuroscience completers earned a median of $72,910 four years after completing. |
| 3 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $71,942 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
|  | [University of Colorado Boulder](/school/university-of-colorado-boulder/majors/) ranks 3rd on this list and posts an [average net price of $25,346](/school/university-of-colorado-boulder/cost/). |
| 4 | University of California-Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz, CA | $69,027 | $17,890 | $8,717 | 65.8% |
|  | With a cohort of 62 graduates in the earnings cohort, [University of California-Santa Cruz](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/majors/) shows [median earnings of $69,027](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/outcomes/) for its Neuroscience graduates four years after completing. |
| 5 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $63,720 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
|  | [University of California-Davis](/school/university-of-california-davis/majors/) sits 18th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports [median earnings of $63,720](/school/university-of-california-davis/outcomes/) for its Neuroscience graduates four years after completing. |
| 6 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $61,799 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
|  | With [median earnings of $61,799](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/outcomes/) for its Neuroscience graduates four years after completing, [University of California-San Diego](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/majors/) holds the lowest average net price on the page at $12,470. |
| 7 | Brigham Young University · Provo, UT | $60,065 | $15,564 | $10,444 | 67.8% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Provo, [Brigham Young University](/school/brigham-young-university/majors/) reports an [average net price of $10,444](/school/brigham-young-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 8 | University of Nevada-Reno · Reno, NV | $57,769 | $15,927 | $12,674 | 73.7% |
|  | [University of Nevada-Reno](/school/university-of-nevada-reno/majors/) reports [median earnings of $57,769](/school/university-of-nevada-reno/outcomes/) for its Neuroscience graduates four years after completing, equal to the list median of $57,769. |
| 9 | Washington State University · Pullman, WA | $55,687 | $14,971 | $7,074 | 86.6% |
|  | [Washington State University](/school/washington-state-university/majors/) [admits 87% of applicants](/school/washington-state-university/admissions/) and its Neuroscience graduates earned a median of $55,687 four years after completing. |
| 10 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $55,404 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
|  | [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/) posts an [admission rate of 9%](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/admissions/) and an average net price of $5,579 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 11 | University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ | $52,571 | $16,674 | $13,353 | 86.1% |
|  | A public university in Tucson, [University of Arizona](/school/university-of-arizona/majors/) reports [median earnings of $52,571](/school/university-of-arizona/outcomes/) for its Neuroscience graduates four years after completing, with 124 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 12 | University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA | $51,865 | $14,304 | $8,852 | 76.4% |
|  | [University of California-Riverside](/school/university-of-california-riverside/majors/) [ranks 31st on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-california-riverside/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and its Neuroscience graduates earned a median of $51,865 four years after completing. |
| 13 | Western Washington University · Bellingham, WA | $51,508 | $21,193 | $12,915 | 93.3% |
|  | [Western Washington University](/school/western-washington-university/majors/) ranks 13th on this list, reporting [median earnings of $51,508](/school/western-washington-university/outcomes/) for its Neuroscience graduates four years after completing. |
| 14 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $24,035 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
|  | [University of California-Irvine](/school/university-of-california-irvine/majors/) shows an [average net price of $8,123](/school/university-of-california-irvine/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 15 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $24,035 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
|  | Placing 72nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, [University of Washington-Seattle Campus](/school/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/majors/) [admits 39% of applicants](/school/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/admissions/). |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Neuroscience graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the West appear. The figures are medians for federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 2 of the 15 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from University of Southern California to the lowest-ranked program is $65,168, and the gap between University of Southern California and University of San Diego is $16,293.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Neuroscience Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-neuroscience-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in the West](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-west/)
-   [Top Neuroscience Programs in the Midwest by Earnings](/rankings/best-neuroscience-programs-in-the-midwest/)
-   [Best Neuroscience Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-neuroscience-programs-in-the-northeast/)
-   [Best Neuroscience Programs in the South](/rankings/best-neuroscience-programs-in-the-south/)
-   Biological Sciences Colleges in the West for Social Mobility