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• Step 3: Your ranking of Neuroscience programs

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The rankings below have been generated just for you using the priorities you set on this page. You can change your priorities or get rankings for a different field.

How to Read Your Ranking

• Programs are ranked by their score, a weighted sum of the items you chose. (Details)
• Descriptions of each item are listed at the bottom of the page. (You can also see a description by mousing over items at the top of the table.)
• Your weight for each item is shown beneath the item at the top of the table. Weights range in magnitude from 0 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
• A positive weight means that you prefer larger values for the item. A negative weight means that you prefer smaller values for the item.
• Green values are at least one standard deviation better than the mean. Red values are at least one standard deviation worse than the mean.
• Data sources can be found below.

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Rank	Department	Your Score	Yrs (-3)	Job (2)	Ed Eff (2)	Cite / Fac (2)	Fac Qual (2)	Cost / Year (-5)	Deg / Yr (3)	# Fac (2)	Stu / Fac (-1)	UG Acc (-1)	SAT-M (1)	SAT-V (1)
Adjust your weights →			-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+
1.	Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University	23.7	5.7	97%	4.3	191.6	4.5	$16,005	9.6	61	0.9*	35%	705	680
2.	Neuroscience, Yale University	21.9	5.7	79%	4.4	148.2	4.8	$16,526	7.6	75	0.5	10%	740	740
3.	Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania	16.4	6.2	90%	4.2	107.2	4.3	$18,171	11.8	67	0.7	21%	725	705
4.	Neuroscience, Washington University in St Louis	15.6	6.7	69%	4.4	138.9	4.4	$16,938	12.8	66	0.5	19%	730	710
5.	Neurosciences, University of California-San Diego	14.5	5.7†	81%†	4.5	242.4	4.8	$22,038†	10.4†	97	0.9	39%†	655†	605†
5.	Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California-San Diego	14.5	5.7†	81%†	4.5	242.4	4.8	$22,038†	10.4†	97	0.9	39%†	655†	605†
7.	Neuroscience Program, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	14.0	5.6†	88%†	3.8	87.2	3.8	$14,399†	5.6†	60	0.4	57%†	680†	640†
8.	Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison	13.6	5.1†	86%†	3.5	47.9	3.6	$12,640†	5.4†	49	0.6	71%†	650†	615†
9.	Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia-Main Campus	13.2	5.3	86%	3.5	99.7	3.5	$13,405	3.6	43	0.5	38%	670	655
10.	Neurosciences, Stanford University	12.5	6.3	70%	4.6	175.1	4.6	$17,084	7.0	44	1.0	12%	735	720
11.	Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine	12.1	5.2	96%	3.5	117.8	3.8	$15,083*	4.8	38	0.8	54%*	639*	620*
12.	Neuroscience, Northwestern University	9.6	6.0	71%	3.6	57.7	3.6	$17,240	9.8	81	0.6	30%	715	695
13.	Neuroscience, Wake Forest University	8.1	5.5	100%	2.7	0.9	2.8	$10,140	2.6	13	1.2	47%	670	655
14.	Neuroscience, Tulane University of Louisiana	8.0	5.2	100%	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$15,879	2.4	36*	0.9*	45%	680	670
15.	Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Alabama at Birmingham	7.7	5.5†	88%†	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$13,789†	8.4†	36*	0.9*	88%†	570†	560†
16.	Neuroscience, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	6.7	6.7†	97%†	3.4	56.5	3.4	$12,805†	8.2†	36	1.0	70%†	630†	600†
16.	Neuroscience, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	6.7	6.7†	97%†	3.4	56.5	3.4	$12,805†	8.2†	36	1.0	70%†	630†	600†
18.	Neuroscience, University of California-San Francisco	6.4	5.7	68%	4.5	306.4	4.7	$20,923*	7.0	34	1.0	54%*	639*	620*
19.	Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology	6.0	5.7	71%	4.2	146.8	4.3	$17,224	3.8	17	2.1	20%	775	735
20.	Neuroscience, Brandeis University	5.9	5.7	75%	3.9	189.7	3.8	$15,316	5.8	12	2.9	40%	675	675
Rank	Department	Your Score	Yrs (-3)	Job (2)	Ed Eff (2)	Cite / Fac (2)	Fac Qual (2)	Cost / Year (-5)	Deg / Yr (3)	# Fac (2)	Stu / Fac (-1)	UG Acc (-1)	SAT-M (1)	SAT-V (1)
Adjust your weights →			-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+
21.	Neuroscience, Louisina State University Health Sciences Center at New Orleans	5.7	5.2	67%	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$12,900*	2.8	36*	0.9*	54%*	639*	620*
22.	Neuroscience, Marquette University	5.5	5.8*	90%*	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$11,726*	0.8	36*	0.9*	70%	600	595
23.	Neuroscience, Duke University	5.4	6.3	90%	3.9	59.0	3.8	$16,361	4.6	27	0.9	22%	725	705
23.	Neuroscience, University of Delaware	5.4	5.8*	90%*	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$12,425*	0.8	36*	0.9*	47%	610	595
25.	Neuroscience, Cornell University-Ny State Statutory Colleges	5.1	5.9*	81%*	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$13,442*	1.6	36*	0.9*	30%	680	665
26.	Neuroscience, University of Maryland-Baltimore	4.9	5.0	74%	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$14,660*	2.8	36*	0.9*	54%*	639*	620*
27.	Neuroscience, University of Rochester	3.9	5.7	87%	3.4	49.0	3.3	$17,028	4.2	60	0.5	46%	670	650
28.	Neuroscience, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science	3.8	5.7	90%	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$14,357*	1.6	36*	0.9*	54%*	639*	620*
29.	Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University	3.7	5.2	87%	3.4	39.5	3.5	$17,056	2.4	39	0.9*	35%	695	675
30.	Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	3.3	6.4	92%	3.4	38.5	3.3	$14,714	4.4	54	0.5	68%	675	615
31.	Center for Neuroscience/Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh-Main Campus	3.0	5.6†	83%†	3.3	55.6	3.3	$14,947†	6.0†	19	0.9*	49%†	625†	610†
31.	Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh-Main Campus	3.0	5.6†	83%†	3.3	55.6	3.3	$14,947†	6.0†	19	0.9*	49%†	625†	610†
33.	Neuroscience, University of Chicago	2.9	5.9	97%	3.6	64.0	3.6	$17,977	2.8	33	0.8	40%	715	725
34.	Neuroscience, Brown University	2.5	5.7	92%	3.4	41.9	3.0	$16,202	2.8	14	0.9*	15%	725	710
35.	Molecular Neuroscience, Mayo Graduate School	2.4	6.2	82%	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$13,883*	3.6	36*	0.9*	54%*	639*	620*
35.	Neuroscience, Washington State University	2.4	5.2	78%	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$13,854	2.6	36*	0.9*	74%	560	545
37.	Neurosciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham	1.9	5.5†	88%†	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$13,789†	1.6†	36*	0.9*	88%†	570†	560†
38.	Neuroscience, Dartmouth College	1.7	5.8*	90%*	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$17,433*	0.8	36*	0.9*	17%	730	720
39.	Neuroscience, Yeshiva University	1.0	6.7	71%	3.6	108.8	3.6	$13,103	3.0	46	0.5	78%	615	605
40.	Neuroscience - Grad School, Medical College of Georgia	0.8	5.8*	90%*	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$15,161*	0.6	36*	0.9*	54%*	639*	620*
Rank	Department	Your Score	Yrs (-3)	Job (2)	Ed Eff (2)	Cite / Fac (2)	Fac Qual (2)	Cost / Year (-5)	Deg / Yr (3)	# Fac (2)	Stu / Fac (-1)	UG Acc (-1)	SAT-M (1)	SAT-V (1)
Adjust your weights →			-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+
41.	Neuroscience, Cornell University	0.5	6.5	92%	3.7	42.7	3.6	$16,969	4.4	30	1.2	27%	710	675
42.	Neuroscience, University of California-Los Angeles	0.3	5.7	75%	3.7	86.9	3.9	$24,007	11.2	73	0.6	23%	665	630
43.	Neuroscience, Florida State University	0.1	4.6	85%	2.9	16.0	2.7	$14,929	3.6	22	1.3	62%	585	575
44.	Neuroscience, Massachusetts Institute of Technology	-0.1	6.7	88%	4.1	73.5	4.2	$18,201	3.0	28	2.0	14%	770	730
45.	Neuroscience, Pennsylvania State University-College of Medicine	-0.3	5.9*	81%*	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$15,869*	3.2	36*	0.9*	54%*	639*	620*
46.	Neuroscience, Loyola University Chicago	-0.4	6.3†	88%†	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$14,262†	3.0†	36*	0.9*	74%†	585†	590†
47.	Neuroscience, SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse	-0.5	6.3	73%	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$13,184*	1.4	36*	0.9*	54%*	639*	620*
47.	Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati-Main Campus	-0.5	4.9	83%	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$17,547	4.2	36*	0.9*	77%	565	545
49.	Neuroscience, University of Colorado at Boulder	-0.8	5.1	69%	3.3	106.9	3.4	$16,035	2.6	31	0.5	88%	600	580
50.	Neuroscience, Ohio State University-Main Campus	-1.0	5.7†	83%†	3.1	41.0	3.0	$15,072†	1.4†	64	0.3	73%†	580†	560†
50.	Neuroscience Graduate Studies Program, Ohio State University-Main Campus	-1.0	5.7†	83%†	3.1	41.0	3.0	$15,072†	1.4†	64	0.3	73%†	580†	560†
52.	Neuroscience, University of Arizona	-1.2	5.9	78%	3.2	30.4	3.2	$12,863	3.8	28	0.6	88%	565	560
53.	Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University	-1.6	6.1	65%	3.7	129.0	3.8	$14,736	2.2	19	1.9	68%	690	650
54.	Neuroscience, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center	-2.0	5.8	50%	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$13,471*	2.2	36*	0.9*	54%*	639*	620*
55.	Neuroscience, Stony Brook University	-2.1	6.2	70%	3.4	38.6	3.5	$12,370	3.2	17	1.5	51%	610	570
55.	Neuroscience, The University of Texas at San Antonio	-2.1	5.8*	90%*	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$14,217*	2.6	36*	0.9*	99%	500	495
57.	Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas	-2.3	6.7†	86%†	3.1	129.1	3.4	$14,324*	2.0†	17	0.9	54%*	639*	620*
58.	Neuroscience, SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn	-2.8	5.7	83%	2.6	22.2	2.5	$14,407*	2.6	27	0.4	54%*	639*	620*
59.	Neuroscience, SUNY at Buffalo	-2.9	5.8*	100%	2.9	24.9	2.5	$12,437*	1.6	25	3.0	56%	595	565
60.	Neuroscience, Iowa State University	-3.0	4.7	71%	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$17,919	2.0	36*	0.9*	90%	620	595
Rank	Department	Your Score	Yrs (-3)	Job (2)	Ed Eff (2)	Cite / Fac (2)	Fac Qual (2)	Cost / Year (-5)	Deg / Yr (3)	# Fac (2)	Stu / Fac (-1)	UG Acc (-1)	SAT-M (1)	SAT-V (1)
Adjust your weights →			-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+
60.	Neuroscience, Temple University	-3.0	5.7	97%*	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$16,678*	0.8	36*	0.9*	63%	550	540
62.	Neuroscience, Georgetown University	-3.7	6.3	71%	3.2	104.3	3.1	$18,032	3.8	41	0.9*	21%	695	695
63.	Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin	-4.0	5.7	93%	3.3	38.6	3.1	$18,426	1.6	50	0.9*	51%	630	605
64.	Neuroscience, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center	-5.1	5.9*	81%*	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$15,024*	0.6	36*	0.9*	72%	530	533
65.	Neuroscience, University of Miami	-5.2	5.9	90%	2.3	135.8	2.1	$15,255	1.4	9	0.7	46%	640	620
66.	Neuroscience, George Washington University	-5.5	5.9†	82%†	2.9	33.1	2.0	$14,616†	1.8†	10	0.2	38%†	640†	640†
66.	Neuroscience Program, George Washington University	-5.5	5.9†	82%†	2.9	33.1	2.0	$14,616†	1.8†	10	0.2	38%†	640†	640†
68.	Neurosciences and Cognitive Sciences, University of Maryland-College Park	-5.7	6.9	67%	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$14,382	2.2	36*	0.9*	49%	650	625
68.	Neurosciences, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey	-5.7	7.7†	60%†	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$11,214*	2.2†	36*	0.9*	54%*	639*	620*
68.	Neurosciences and Cell Biology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey	-5.7	7.7†	60%†	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$11,214*	2.2†	36*	0.9*	54%*	639*	620*
71.	Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University	-5.8	5.7†	88%†	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$19,317*	1.4†	36*	0.9*	54%*	639*	620*
71.	Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University	-5.8	5.7†	88%†	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$19,317*	1.4†	36*	0.9*	54%*	639*	620*
73.	Neuroscience, Tufts University	-5.9	6.5	88%	2.9	92.2	2.9	$16,579	1.6	11	1.1	28%	705	700
74.	Neuroscience and Cell Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch	-6.4	5.2	76%	3.4	70.7	3.3	$21,324*	3.8	39	0.6	54%*	639*	620*
75.	Biological Sciences -Neuroscience, University of Southern California	-6.5	6.2	63%	3.4	54.7	3.4	$16,572	4.8	18	2.2	27%	690	665
76.	Cognition and Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Dallas	-6.7	5.7	90%*	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$19,587	0.6	36*	0.9*	51%	640	605
77.	Neurology and Neuroscience, Weill Cornell Medical College	-6.8	5.7†	63%†	3.7	42.7	3.6	$19,011*	5.4†	30	1.2	54%*	639*	620*
77.	Neuroscience, Weill Cornell Medical College	-6.8	5.7†	63%†	3.7	42.7	3.6	$19,011*	5.4†	30	1.2	54%*	639*	620*
79.	Neuroscience (formerly Neural Science), Indiana University-Bloomington	-7.6	7.2	77%	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$13,216	2.0	36*	0.9*	85%	560	550
80.	Behavioral Neuroscience, Boston University	-8.2	6.3	66%	0.6	16.7	0.7	$17,237	25.8	3	1.3	55%	655	645
Rank	Department	Your Score	Yrs (-3)	Job (2)	Ed Eff (2)	Cite / Fac (2)	Fac Qual (2)	Cost / Year (-5)	Deg / Yr (3)	# Fac (2)	Stu / Fac (-1)	UG Acc (-1)	SAT-M (1)	SAT-V (1)
Adjust your weights →			-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+
81.	Neuroscience, Saint Louis University-Main Campus	-9.6	5.5	97%*	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$21,531*	0.6	36*	0.9*	76%	610	600
82.	Neuroscience, New York University	-10.3	6.7	83%	3.3	28.7	3.0	$18,357	2.4	23	0.5	37%	665	665
83.	Neuroscience, Integrative, Rutgers University-Newark	-11.0	6.1	62%	3.1	18.7	2.9	$15,094	3.4	24	1.2	47%	560	540
84.	Neuroscience, Kent State University-Kent Campus	-11.3	6.1	82%	2.0	24.3	2.0	$12,800	2.4	28	0.7	94%	515	515
85.	Neuroscience, University of California-Davis	-11.4	5.7†	89%†	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$23,150†	4.2†	36*	0.9*	55%†	615†	565†
86.	Neuroscience, Medical University of Ohio at Toledo	-12.0	6.3	69%	2.0	22.2	1.9	$14,690*	1.8	33	0.1	54%*	639*	620*
87.	Neuroscience and Behavior, University of Massachusetts-Amherst	-12.7	5.7	76%	2.9	21.8	2.8	$17,645	2.6	27	1.1	80%	575	565
88.	Neuroscience, Drexel University	-15.0	5.8*	90%*	2.9	22.9	3.0	$20,082*	1.8	19	0.9	82%	610	580
89.	Neuroscience, Syracuse University	-16.5	5.8*	90%*	2.5	28.1	2.4	$18,799*	0.8	10	1.4	65%	620	595
90.	Neuroscience, University of California-Riverside	-18.4	5.8*	90%*	3.4*	77.7*	3.3*	$23,726*	0.8	36*	0.9*	74%	565	510
91.	Neuroscience, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston	-21.9	6.7	73%	3.1	54.3	3.1	$22,804*	3.2	27	1.2	54%*	639*	620*

Unranked Neuroscience Graduate Schools

Item Descriptions

Your Score

Your customized program score is a weighted sum of points for each item. The weights were selected on this page. For an item with importance weight W, a program receives W × S points for being S standard deviations above average. Larger values are better.

Years to Degree (Yrs)

Median time lapse from entering graduate school at the doctorate-granting institution to receipt of doctorate in years. Note that time spent obtaining a master's degree at a different institution is not counted. Your weight = -3. Smaller values are better. (SED, 2000-2004)

Placement Rate (Job)

Percentage of doctorate recipients from the program with definite plans at graduation (either a job or a postdoctoral position). Your weight = 2. Larger values are better. (SED, 2000-2004)

Educational Effectiveness (Ed Eff)

Program effectiveness in educating research scholars and scientists, 1993. Scale of 0 to 5, with 0 denoting "Not Effective" and 5 denoting "Extremely Effective." Your weight = 2. Larger values are better. (NRC, 1995)

Citations per Faculty Member (Cite / Fac)

The ratio of the number of citations of program publications in the period 1988-1992 to the number of program faculty. Your weight = 2. Larger values are better. (NRC, 1995)

Faculty Quality (Fac Qual)

Scholarly quality of program faculty, 1993. Scale of 0 to 5, with 0 denoting "Not sufficient for doctoral education" and 5 denoting "Distinguished." Your weight = 2. Larger values are better. (NRC, 1995)

Cost Per Year (Cost / Year)

Low yearly cost (tuition, fees, room and board, other expenses) for an out of state student living on campus. Assumes median tuition remission. Your weight = -5. Smaller values are better. (IPEDS, 2001-2005)

Doctorates Granted per Year (Deg / Yr)

The average number of doctorates granted by the program per year between 2001 and 2005. Your weight = 3. Larger values are better. (IPEDS, 2001-2005)

Number of Faculty (# Fac)

Total number of faculty participating in the program. Your weight = 2. Larger values are better. (NRC, 1995)

Grad Student / Faculty Ratio (Stu / Fac)

The number of graduate students per faculty member. Your weight = -1. Smaller values are better. (NRC, 1995)

Undergraduate Acceptance Rate (UG Acc)

The percentage of applicants the institution accepts into its undergraduate programs. Your weight = -1. Smaller values are better. (IPEDS, 2005)

Math SAT Score (SAT-M)

The average of the 25th and 75th percentile mathematics SAT scores for undergraduates at the institution. Your weight = 1. Larger values are better. (IPEDS, 2005)

Verbal SAT Score (SAT-V)

The average of the 25th and 75th percentile verbal SAT scores for undergraduates at the institution. Your weight = 1. Larger values are better. (IPEDS, 2005)

Missing Values

Missing values have been replaced with the average value for all programs in the field.

Data Sources

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System

IPEDS is an annual, comprehensive set of surveys of all colleges and universities in the United States. The surveys are conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics.  Learn more

National Research Council

The National Research Council conducts assessments of doctoral programs in the United States every 10 to 15 years). The data we use are from the most recent assessment, the 1995 study Research-Doctorate Programs in the United States: Continuity and Change. Learn more about the NRC study's methods here; order a copy here. The next NRC assessment is scheduled for release in Summer 2009.  Learn more

Survey of Earned Doctorates

The NSF/NIH/NEH/USED/USDA/NASA Survey of Earned Doctorates is an annual survey of all new recipients of doctorates from US universities at graduation. The average of the response rates for the 2000–2004 surveys was 92%.  Learn more

Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering

The Survey is an annual assessment of the number and characteristics of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in science, engineering, and health-related fields. It is conducted by the National Science Foundation.  Learn more