Neuroscienceat University of California-Los Angeles
Graduates earn $30,501/yr in their first year — about 6.0% below the national Neuroscience average. Base-case 10-year earnings $798K; scenarios range from $688K to $828K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UCLA
Graduates from UCLA's rigorous Neurobiology program often embark on paths requiring significant further education, such as medical school or PhD programs. This initial investment in advanced degrees means that early career earnings, while substantial, might reflect the stipends of academic research or entry-level lab positions rather than immediate industry salaries. The program's strength lies in preparing you for complex research roles at institutions like Cedars-Sinai or within Southern California's burgeoning biotech sector. Many high-earning roles in this field, like medical scientist or research manager, typically materialize after years of specialized experience or advanced degrees. Your time at UCLA provides an excellent foundation, but you'll need to strategically plan for the next steps, whether that’s graduate school or gaining targeted experience, to unlock your full earning potential.
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.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to UCLA's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
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.
Peer schools offering Neuroscience
How UCLA stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UCLA
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UCLA, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Neuroscience at UCLA
How does University of California-Los Angeles's Neuroscience program score?
This program scores 42/100 — 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 does University of California-Los Angeles rank so high for Neuroscience?
The #2 ranking out of 97 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.