Best Neuroscience Schools Near Salem, VA (2026)

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

Salem, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering neuroscience programs, with tuition ranging from $45,312 to $65,548 per year for indexed programs. Salem has a population of about 25,477. Median household income is $66,716 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Roanoke, VA metro area, the top-earning neuroscience-related role is Pharmacists at a median $133,980 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Neuroscience Schools to Salem

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

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA 20.6 miles from Salem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $81,698
Avg net price $24,953/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 153

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Washington and Lee University

Lexington, VA 48.3 miles from Salem
  • 4 year
74.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $94,810
Avg net price $23,781/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA 99.4 miles from Salem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $86,863
Avg net price $21,565/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 117

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, VA 144.0 miles from Salem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,128
Avg net price $23,433/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 142

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Randolph-Macon College

Ashland, VA 145.0 miles from Salem
  • 4 year
54.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,448
Avg net price $27,866/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA 183.7 miles from Salem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
81.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,343
Avg net price $17,915/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 180

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

William & Mary

Williamsburg, VA 184.0 miles from Salem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
85.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 34%
Graduation rate 90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,490
Avg net price $19,096/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,914
Out‑of‑state$51,038
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Christopher Newport University

Newport News, VA 196.6 miles from Salem
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
59.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 86%
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,509
Avg net price $23,015/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,828
Out‑of‑state$31,178
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Neuroscience Wages Near Salem

Salem is part of the Roanoke, VA metro area (BLS area code 40220). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists $93,620 VA statewide $100,021
Biochemists and Biophysicists $105,780 VA statewide $113,013
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists $104,300 Roanoke, VA $111,432
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary $62,160 Roanoke, VA $66,410
Biological Technicians $55,520 Roanoke, VA $59,316
Pharmacists $133,980 Roanoke, VA $143,141
Biological Scientists, All Other $96,030 VA statewide $102,596
Psychologists, All Other $128,590 Roanoke, VA $137,382

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.

Salem at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 25,477 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $66,716 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 31.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 93.6 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Salem-Area Cities With Neuroscience Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited neuroscience schools are near Salem, VA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering neuroscience programs near Salem. The closest is Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, VA (20.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Virginia-Main Campus (99.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying neuroscience roles near Salem?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying neuroscience-related roles near Salem are: Pharmacists ($133,980), Psychologists, All Other ($128,590), Biochemists and Biophysicists ($105,780). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Roanoke instead of Salem?

Roanoke, VA is 5.4 miles from Salem 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 Salem an affordable place to study neuroscience?

Salem’s median household income of $66,716 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Salem while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia 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 Salem

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

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.

Back to Best Neuroscience Schools in Virginia: Online Programs (2026)