Best institutions to study Research and Experimental Psychology
Compare 297 U.S. colleges offering Research and Experimental Psychology by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 50 states.
Research and Experimental Psychology programs report a median of $34,715 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 42.27 and the Clinical and Counseling Psychologists occupation (BLS SOC).
About Research and Experimental Psychology programs
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 social psychology, using both human participants and animal subjects. This program is ideal for those interested in understanding the complexities of behavior and mental processes through scientific inquiry.
Students in this program develop essential skills in reading comprehension, critical thinking, and active listening. Coursework covers a range of knowledge areas, including psychology, therapy, counseling, and quantitative methods, equipping graduates with the tools needed for effective research and practice in psychology.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tufts University Medford, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $56,504 | 99 | 94% | $23,570 | $15,875 |
| 2 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $53,156 | 148 | 96% | $15,315 | $20,500 |
| 3 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $49,035 | 154 | 94% | $11,888 | $14,507 |
| 4 | Yale University New Haven, CT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $47,874 | 98 | 96% | $27,025 | — |
| 5 | Bates College Lewiston, ME Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $47,376 | 53 | 90% | $18,203 | $13,750 |
| 6 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $47,050 | 70 | 98% | $13,729 | — |
| 7 | Amherst College Amherst, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,786 | 39 | 94% | $16,081 | $10,800 |
| 8 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,542 | 171 | 97% | $22,055 | $18,125 |
| 9 | Barnard College New York, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,055 | 69 | 93% | $24,675 | $17,000 |
| 10 | Smith College Northampton, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,717 | 44 | 89% | $17,183 | $19,000 |
| 11 | Dartmouth College Hanover, NH Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,947 | 56 | 96% | $14,689 | $18,194 |
| 12 | Colgate University Hamilton, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,883 | 68 | 91% | $22,903 | $16,000 |
| 13 | Gettysburg College Gettysburg, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,599 | 54 | 83% | $24,453 | $27,000 |
| 14 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,501 | 124 | 98% | $15,013 | — |
| 15 | Park University Parkville, MO Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $40,313 | 84 | 38% | $16,013 | $24,000 |
| 16 | Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,955 | 264 | 32% | — | $26,641 |
| 17 | Hamilton College Clinton, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,880 | 31 | 91% | $20,680 | $17,450 |
| 18 | University of Rochester Rochester, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,732 | 206 | 85% | $25,874 | $21,000 |
| 19 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,661 | 485 | 65% | — | $21,314 |
| 20 | Brown University Providence, RI Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,493 | 66 | 96% | $14,644 | $15,110 |
| 21 | Duke University Durham, NC Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,359 | 153 | 97% | $16,260 | $12,125 |
| 22 | Carleton College Northfield, MN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,238 | 37 | 90% | $18,669 | $16,700 |
| 23 | Villanova University Villanova, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,218 | 20 | 92% | $33,774 | $26,250 |
| 24 | Northeastern University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,463 | 182 | 91% | $18,925 | $26,000 |
| 25 | Northeastern University Professional Programs Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,463 | 22 | — | — | $26,000 |
| 26 | Macalester College Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,027 | 50 | 87% | $21,441 | $26,000 |
| 27 | George Washington University Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,906 | 33 | 84% | $29,789 | $25,220 |
| 28 | New York University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,512 | 918 | 88% | $29,023 | $21,499 |
| 29 | Brandeis University Waltham, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,494 | 86 | 86% | $25,074 | $26,787 |
| 30 | Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,377 | 197 | 94% | $14,126 | $15,450 |
| 31 | Denison University Granville, OH Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $36,909 | 50 | 79% | $23,864 | $25,645 |
| 32 | Emmanuel College Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $36,603 | 14 | 68% | $29,723 | $27,000 |
| 33 | Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,600 | 8 | 44% | — | $28,375 |
| 34 | Wellesley College Wellesley, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $36,283 | 42 | 92% | $19,292 | $12,500 |
| 35 | Kansas State University Manhattan, KS Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,257 | 116 | 71% | — | $20,035 |
| 36 | The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,982 | 64 | 76% | — | $19,500 |
| 37 | Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MO Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,556 | 41 | 54% | — | $25,540 |
| 38 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,155 | 65 | 46% | — | $21,878 |
| 39 | Westminster University Salt Lake City, UT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,127 | 18 | 64% | $23,154 | $24,500 |
| 40 | St Olaf College Northfield, MN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,070 | 61 | 84% | $18,124 | $25,000 |
| 41 | University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,822 | 45 | 54% | — | $20,810 |
| 42 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,715 | 467 | 85% | — | $15,754 |
| 43 | Mount St. Mary's University Emmitsburg, MD Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $34,454 | 25 | 65% | $23,136 | $21,500 |
| 44 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,450 | 367 | 93% | — | $12,111 |
| 45 | University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,431 | 780 | 83% | — | $15,000 |
| 46 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PA Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,375 | 32 | 86% | — | $27,000 |
| 47 | Pennsylvania State University - World Campus University Park, PA Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,375 | 2 | 34% | — | $27,000 |
| 48 | Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $34,361 | 46 | 91% | $29,107 | $19,000 |
| 49 | Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,455 | 23 | 43% | — | $19,938 |
| 50 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,384 | 591 | 85% | — | $20,050 |
Offered across 50 states
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-3033, Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Research and Experimental Psychology program can pursue various careers in psychology, with an outlook that is much faster than average. The field is expected to see an annual opening of 4,800 positions, with a median wage of $95,830. Typically, a doctoral or professional degree is required for advancement in this field.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Research and Experimental Psychology
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 42.27.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 42.27 (Research and Experimental Psychology) maps to 11 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11-9199 | Managers, All Other |
| 15-2041 | Statisticians |
| 19-1029 | Biological Scientists, All Other |
| 19-1042 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists |
| 19-1099 | Life Scientists, All Other |
| 19-3033 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologistsprimary |
| 19-3039 | Psychologists, All Other |
| 19-4061 | Social Science Research Assistants |
| 21-1021 | Child, Family, and School Social Workers |
| 25-1066 | Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 25-1071 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Research and Experimental Psychology programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Conduct assessments of patients' risk for harm to self or others.
- Document patient information including session notes, progress notes, recommendations, and treatment plans.
- Identify psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues and diagnose disorders, using information obtained from interviews, tests, records, or reference materials.
- Write reports on clients and maintain required paperwork.
- Counsel individuals, groups, or families to help them understand problems, deal with crisis situations, define goals, and develop realistic action plans.
- Interact with clients to assist them in gaining insight, defining goals, and planning action to achieve effective personal, social, educational, or vocational development and adjustment.
Concentrations within Research and Experimental Psychology
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- Cognitive Psychology and PsycholinguisticsCIP 42.2701
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the mechanisms and processes of learning and thinking, and associated information encoding, decoding, processing and transmitting systems
- Comparative PsychologyCIP 42.2702
A program that focuses on the behavior of members of particular species or groups and the relationship of the behaviors of the species or group to their evolutionary origins
- Developmental and Child PsychologyCIP 42.2703
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the unique stages of psychological growth and development of individuals from infancy through childhood
- Experimental PsychologyCIP 42.2704
A program that focuses on the scientific study of behavior under experimental conditions and the analysis of controlled behavioral responses
- Personality PsychologyCIP 42.2705
A program that focuses on the unique organization of fairly permanent characteristics that set the individual apart from other individuals and, at the same time, determine how others respond to that i
- Behavioral NeuroscienceCIP 42.2706
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the biological bases of behavior and psychological functioning, and their application to experimental and therapeutic research problems
- Social PsychologyCIP 42.2707
A program that focuses on the scientific study of individual behavior in group contexts, group behavior, and associated phenomena
- Psychometrics and Quantitative PsychologyCIP 42.2708
A program that focuses on the mathematical and statistical procedures used in psychological test construction and validation; the general problems of the measurement of behavior; and the application o
- PsychopharmacologyCIP 42.2709
A program that focuses on the study of the behavioral effects of medications, drugs, nutrients, and chemicals (including natural and artificial toxins) in laboratory and clinical settings
- Developmental and Adolescent PsychologyCIP 42.2710
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the unique stages of psychological growth and development of individuals from adolescence to adulthood
- Research and Experimental Psychology, OtherCIP 42.2799
Any instructional program in research and experimental psychology not listed above.
Common questions
What is Research and Experimental Psychology?+
It is a program that applies experimental methods to study psychological processes, including sensation, perception, and cognition.
What skills will I gain from this program?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, active listening, and effective writing, alongside knowledge in psychology and quantitative methods.
What are the career prospects after graduation?+
The job outlook is much faster than average, with 4,800 annual openings and a median wage of $95,830.
What level of education is required?+
Typically, a doctoral or professional degree is required for careers in this field.
How much do Research and Experimental Psychology graduates earn?+
Research and Experimental Psychology graduates report median earnings of $34,715 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the Clinical and Counseling Psychologists occupation pays about $112,750 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Research and Experimental Psychology?+
Research and Experimental Psychology maps to CIP 42.27 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
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.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card