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Biological Sciences · Neuroscience Rank #51 of 97

Neuroscienceat Pomona College

Graduates earn $39,967/yr in their first year — about 23.0% above the national Neuroscience average. Base-case 10-year earnings $476K; scenarios range from $451K to $474K depending on AI disruption.

Claremont, CA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
30 AT RISK
31
Optimistic
27
Pessimistic
Earnings
$39,967
1-year post-graduation
ROI
0.6x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$476K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
53% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Pomona College

Pomona's rigorous Neurobiology program, situated in the vibrant Southern California research hub, sets you up for a distinctive career trajectory. Your strong liberal arts foundation, combined with deep scientific training, cultivates exceptional analytical and problem-solving abilities, highly prized by employers. This isn't just about technical knowledge; it's about intellectual agility and critical thought, which is why graduates often find themselves in competitive roles at biotech startups, pharmaceutical companies, or leading research institutions like Caltech or USC, often pursuing advanced degrees.

The field's evolving nature means certain data-intensive or diagnostic tasks are susceptible to AI integration. However, this isn't a threat to the core of your work. Instead, it underscores the importance of developing advanced experimental design skills, ethical reasoning, and interdisciplinary collaboration – areas where human insight remains irreplaceable. To thrive, focus on internships that blend lab work with computational skills or human interaction, ensuring your expertise is future-proofed against automation.

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
$451K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score27/100
Earnings Multiple1.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$476K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score30/100
Earnings Multiple1.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$474K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score31/100
Earnings Multiple1.9x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Pomona 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 Pomona 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
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 Pomona College

Other top programs at Pomona College

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

FAQ

Frequently asked about Neuroscience at Pomona College

How does Pomona College's Neuroscience program score?

This program scores 30/100 — 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.

How affordable is Neuroscience at Pomona College after financial aid?

Sticker price is $249,304, but the average net cost is $77,696 — a 69% discount. For students who qualify for aid, this program is considerably more affordable than it appears.