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Biological Sciences · Neuroscience Rank #80 of 97

Neuroscienceat Barnard College

Graduates earn $24,569/yr in their first year — about 24.0% below the national Neuroscience average. Base-case 10-year earnings $391K; scenarios range from $389K to $381K depending on AI disruption.

New York, NY Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
21 AT RISK
22
Optimistic
22
Pessimistic
Earnings
$24,569
1-year post-graduation
ROI
-0.1x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$391K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
53% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Barnard College

Your Barnard Neurobiology degree offers an elite liberal arts education within one of the world's major scientific hubs, leveraging Columbia University's vast research ecosystem. The initial earnings trajectory often reflects graduates pursuing advanced degrees – medical school, PhD programs, or other specialized training – where initial compensation is lower or non-existent during studies. Many early career roles involve research support in academic labs or non-profit settings in NYC's competitive biomedical landscape before transitioning to higher-paying positions as scientists, physicians, or managers.

The noted AI risk primarily targets roles involving data analysis, diagnostics, and repetitive lab tasks. To mitigate this, actively seek internships that emphasize critical thinking, complex experimental design, and interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly within clinical research or novel biotech startups. Your network and access to cutting-edge research through the Columbia affiliation are invaluable assets; leverage these to gain practical experience and refine your career path early.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$389K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score22/100
Earnings Multiple1.5x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$391K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score21/100
Earnings Multiple1.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$381K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score22/100
Earnings Multiple1.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Barnard College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Neuroscience graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
2
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
+8.7% 10-yr growth · 9,600 openings/yr
$100,590/yr
High
3
Biological scientists, all other
+1.2% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$93,330/yr
Moderate
4
Biological science teachers, postsecondary
+7.3% 10-yr growth · 5,400 openings/yr
$83,460/yr
Moderate
5
Biological technicians
+3.5% 10-yr growth · 9,100 openings/yr
$52,000/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Neuroscience

How Barnard College stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MA · Private nonprofit
35
DW Score
$48K
1-yr earn
1.0x
ROI
Same state (NY)
Fordham University
NY · Private nonprofit
35
DW Score
$48K
1-yr earn
0.9x
ROI
Top score
Harvard University
MA · Private nonprofit
40
DW Score
$47K
1-yr earn
2.2x
ROI
Macalester College
MN · Private nonprofit
34
DW Score
$45K
1-yr earn
0.8x
ROI
Union College
NY · Private nonprofit
33
DW Score
$45K
1-yr earn
1.5x
ROI
Also at Barnard College

Other top programs at Barnard College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Barnard College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Neuroscience at Barnard College

How does Barnard College's Neuroscience program score?

This program scores 21/100 — on the lower end for Neuroscience. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Neuroscience to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Neuroscience careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 48% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why are Neuroscience earnings lower at Barnard College?

Lower starting pay at Barnard College may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.