Neurobiology and Neurosciences at Syracuse University

Syracuse University's neurobiology program leaves graduates earning less than most competitors in New York, landing at just the 40th percentile statewide with $30,259 in first-year earnings. That trails the state median by nearly $2,000 and falls substantially short of what students at Fordham ($47,985), Union ($44,927), and Vassar ($41,752) earn with similar degrees. Even among the 282 neurobiology programs nationally, Syracuse sits below the median at the 43rd percentile.

The debt picture offers a rare bright spot: at $27,000, graduates borrow slightly more than the national median but still maintain a reasonable 0.89 debt-to-earnings ratio. That means the typical graduate owes less than their first-year salary, making the debt manageable despite the modest income. The moderate sample size (30-100 graduates) also suggests some year-to-year variability in these outcomes.

For a competitive private university charging premium tuition, these neuroscience outcomes lag behind peer institutions. If your child is set on neuroscience and staying in New York, several schools deliver significantly stronger early-career earnings without dramatically higher debt loads. Syracuse might make sense if your family qualifies for substantial aid or if your student plans to pursue graduate education where the undergraduate institution matters less than research experience.