Best Neuroscience Schools Near El Centro, CA (2026)

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

El Centro, California has 2 accredited schools offering neuroscience programs, with tuition ranging from $16,758 to $50,958 per year for indexed programs. El Centro has a population of about 44,186. Median household income is $56,093 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 15.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the El Centro, CA metro area, the top-earning neuroscience-related role is Pharmacists at a median $158,490 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Neuroscience Schools to El Centro

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer neuroscience programs near El Centro, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from El Centro 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 El Centro. 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 San Diego

San Diego, CA 94.9 miles from El Centro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $86,522
Avg net price $30,365/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 77

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CA 97.6 miles from El Centro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
92.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 27%
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $84,943
Avg net price $12,470/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,758
Out‑of‑state$50,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 133

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

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#3

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA 130.9 miles from El Centro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
84.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,699
Avg net price $14,304/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,606
Out‑of‑state$49,806
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 87

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

#4

Loma Linda University

Loma Linda, CA 131.4 miles from El Centro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
96.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $89,816
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

La Sierra University

Riverside, CA 136.3 miles from El Centro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,824
Avg net price $45,566/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA 144.8 miles from El Centro
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
90.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 29%
Graduation rate 86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,735
Avg net price $14,251/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,722
Out‑of‑state$49,922
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 134

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

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#7

Pitzer College

Claremont, CA 153.7 miles from El Centro
  • 4 year
64.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,512
Avg net price $34,191/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, CA 153.8 miles from El Centro
  • 4 year
71.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $104,736
Avg net price $28,849/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Neuroscience Wages Near El Centro

El Centro is part of the El Centro, CA metro area (BLS area code 20940). 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 $119,480 El Centro, CA $125,504
Biochemists and Biophysicists $139,580 CA statewide $146,618
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists $116,000 CA statewide $121,849
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary $129,150 CA statewide $135,662
Biological Technicians $71,440 CA statewide $75,042
Pharmacists $158,490 El Centro, CA $166,481
Biological Scientists, All Other $93,260 El Centro, CA $97,962
Psychologists, All Other $157,540 CA statewide $165,483

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.

El Centro at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 44,186 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $56,093 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 15.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 95.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other El Centro-Area Cities With Neuroscience Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited neuroscience schools are near El Centro, CA?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering neuroscience programs near El Centro. The closest is University of San Diego in San Diego, CA (94.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of California-San Diego (97.6 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying neuroscience roles near El Centro?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying neuroscience-related roles near El Centro are: Pharmacists ($158,490), Psychologists, All Other ($157,540), Biochemists and Biophysicists ($139,580). 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 Calexico instead of El Centro?

Calexico, CA is 8.0 miles from El Centro 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 El Centro an affordable place to study neuroscience?

El Centro’s median household income of $56,093 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in El Centro 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 El Centro

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

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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