Neurobiology and Neurosciences at Coe College

Coe College's neuroscience graduates earn nearly $10,000 more than the national median for this degree—placing them in the 89th percentile nationally—while carrying just $27,000 in debt (5th percentile, meaning among the lowest). That's a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66, significantly better than you'll find at most neuroscience programs. The caveat here matters, though: we're looking at fewer than 30 graduates, so these outcomes could shift considerably with a larger sample.

Within Iowa, Coe sits at the 60th percentile for neuroscience earnings, which makes sense given that only eight schools in the state offer this program—the field is simply small here. What stands out is the combination of strong earnings and remarkably low debt. Many liberal arts colleges leave students with $35,000-$40,000+ in loans; Coe's graduates are entering the workforce with notably less financial burden while still earning well above the national average for neuroscience majors.

For a family weighing this investment, the fundamentals look solid: graduates are clearing nearly $41,000 in their first year with manageable debt loads. The small sample size means you should talk to the department about career outcomes and graduate school placement rates to confirm this pattern holds. But if your student is committed to neuroscience and values a smaller college environment, the financial risk here appears lower than at many comparable programs.