Best colleges for Research and Experimental Psychology in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Santa Barbara and University of California-Davis are the top bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology programs in California by graduate earnings. University of California-Berkeley leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $34,450, College Scorecard. University of California-Davis, University of California-Santa Barbara and University of California-Irvine award the most Research and Experimental Psychology degrees in California: 903, 780 and 730 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 29 California colleges offer Research and Experimental Psychology and award 4,731 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Research and Experimental Psychology program focuses on applying experimental methods to study various psychological processes. Students engage in in-depth exploration of topics such as sensation, perception, memory, cognition, and…
Top 8 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,450 | 367 | 93% | — | $12,111 |
| 2 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,431 | 780 | 83% | — | $15,000 |
| 3 | University of California-Davis Davis Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,301 | 903 | 86% | — | $13,219 |
| 4 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,830 | 730 | 87% | — | $13,000 |
| 5 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,748 | 394 | 93% | — | $16,737 |
| 6 | University of California-Riverside Riverside Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,654 | 562 | 76% | — | $18,500 |
| 7 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla Public · Bachelor's degree | $23,420 | 136 | 86% | — | $15,500 |
| 8 | California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $26,697 | 11 | 55% | — | $16,750 |
Colleges awarding the most Research and Experimental Psychology degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Davis Davis Public | 903 | $32,301 |
| 2 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public | 780 | $34,431 |
| 3 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public | 730 | $29,830 |
| 4 | University of California-Riverside Riverside Public | 562 | $25,654 |
| 5 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 394 | $27,748 |
| 6 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public | 367 | $34,450 |
| 7 | University of California-Merced Merced Public | 339 | Not reported |
| 8 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla Public | 136 | $23,420 |
| 9 | Stanford University Stanford Private not-for-profit | 84 | Not reported |
| 10 | Occidental College Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 45 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 19 California colleges offering Research and Experimental Psychology
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Chicago School at Los Angeles (Online) | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 88 |
| Claremont Graduate University (Graduate only) | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 45 |
| Northcentral University (Online) | San Diego | Private not-for-profit | 37 |
| Pitzer College | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 28 |
| Scripps College | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 25 |
| Pomona College | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| Claremont McKenna College | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 21 |
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco | Public | 20 |
| San Diego State University | San Diego | Public | 16 |
| University of California-Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz | Public | 15 |
| California State University - San Bernardino | San Bernardino | Public | 11 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| California State University - Northridge | Northridge | Public | 7 |
| Saint Mary's College of California | Moraga | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| California Institute of Integral Studies | San Francisco | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Alliant International University - San Diego (Online) | San Diego | Private for-profit | 5 |
| Meridian University (Graduate only) | Petaluma | Private for-profit | 5 |
| Woodbury University | Burbank | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (SOC 19-3033).
Top skills
What Clinical and Counseling Psychologists earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Research and Experimental Psychology programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Research and Experimental Psychology degrees?+
University of California-Davis (903 graduates a year), University of California-Santa Barbara (780 graduates a year) and University of California-Irvine (730 graduates a year) award the most Research and Experimental Psychology degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 29 California colleges offer Research and Experimental Psychology.
What is the best college for Research and Experimental Psychology in California?+
By graduate earnings, University of California-Berkeley leads among bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $34,450, College Scorecard. University of California-Santa Barbara and University of California-Davis follow. By degrees awarded, University of California-Davis is the largest, with 903 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Research and Experimental Psychology program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of California-Berkeley tops the list at $34,450. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Clinical and Counseling Psychologists earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in California is $123,570 (median $116,000), across about 12,840 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Research and Experimental Psychology program?+
The Research and Experimental Psychology program focuses on applying experimental methods to study various psychological processes. Students engage in in-depth exploration of topics such as sensation, perception, memory, cognition, and…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, critical thinking, active listening, writing, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists?+
The national job outlook is about +11.2% growth with around 4,800 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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