Best Neuroscience Schools Near Chico, CA (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Chico, California has 1 accredited school offering neuroscience programs, with tuition ranging from $16,774 to $50,974 per year for indexed programs. Chico has a population of about 102,032. Median household income is $67,929 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chico, CA metro area, the top-earning neuroscience-related role is Pharmacists at a median $161,410 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Neuroscience Schools to Chico

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer neuroscience programs near Chico, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Chico city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Chico. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA 84.2 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
90.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 42%
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,838
Avg net price $14,741/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,774
Out‑of‑state$50,974
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 153

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA 132.4 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
93.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 11%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,446
Avg net price $13,481/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,347
Out‑of‑state$50,547
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 127

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of California-San Francisco

San Francisco, CA 142.0 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Stanford University

Stanford, CA 161.9 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
95.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $124,080
Avg net price $13,807/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 100

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA 166.5 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
77.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $109,183
Avg net price $50,062/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA 191.2 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
71.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 66%
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,396
Avg net price $17,890/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,005
Out‑of‑state$50,205
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA 384.6 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
77.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 33%
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $74,915
Avg net price $16,109/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,414
Out‑of‑state$50,614
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 434.7 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
93.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 9%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $82,511
Avg net price $12,548/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,203
Out‑of‑state$49,403
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 161

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California neuroscience page.

Neuroscience Wages Near Chico

Chico is part of the Chico, CA metro area (BLS area code 17020). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists $155,470 Chico, CA $153,626
Biochemists and Biophysicists $139,580 CA statewide $137,925
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists $116,000 CA statewide $114,625
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary $129,150 CA statewide $127,619
Biological Technicians $71,440 CA statewide $70,593
Pharmacists $161,410 Chico, CA $159,496
Biological Scientists, All Other $72,240 Chico, CA $71,383
Psychologists, All Other $157,540 CA statewide $155,672

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Chico at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 102,032 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $67,929 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 41.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 101.2 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Chico-Area Cities With Neuroscience Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited neuroscience schools are near Chico, CA?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering neuroscience programs near Chico. The closest is University of California-Davis in Davis, CA (84.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of California-Davis (84.2 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying neuroscience roles near Chico?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying neuroscience-related roles near Chico are: Pharmacists ($161,410), Psychologists, All Other ($157,540), Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists ($155,470). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Paradise instead of Chico?

Paradise, CA is 11.1 miles from Chico and has its own set of local neuroscience programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Chico an affordable place to study neuroscience?

Chico’s median household income of $67,929 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Chico while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Neuroscience Programs

Other Programs Available in Chico

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Chico:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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