Best institutions to study Comparative Psychology
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.
2 U.S. institutions graduated 16 Comparative Psychology students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 42.2702, a specialization of Research and Experimental Psychology (CIP 42.27), and leads most directly to the Psychologists, All Other occupation (BLS SOC 19-3039).
About Comparative Psychology programs
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. Includes instruction in differential psychology, experimental and physiological psychology, psychopharmacology, psychology of individual differences, reinforcement theory, and neurophysiology.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Comparative Psychology program, a branch of Research and Experimental Psychology, focuses on understanding the behavior of specific species or groups and their evolutionary origins. This program is ideal for students interested in exploring the psychological aspects of different species and how these behaviors relate to their development over time.
Students in this program will engage in coursework covering differential psychology, experimental and physiological psychology, psychopharmacology, and neurophysiology. This comprehensive education equips graduates with a deep understanding of individual differences and reinforcement theory.
Credentials awarded
What Comparative Psychology graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Master's degree16 graduates / yr · 2 institutions100%
Graduates over time
Comparative Psychology completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 15 |
| 2016 | 17 |
| 2017 | 19 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 13 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 24 |
| 2022 | 21 |
| 2023 | 16 |
| 2024 | 9 |
| 2025 | 16 |
Top 2 institutions for Comparative Psychology, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NYPublicMaster's | 9 | 57% | — |
| 2 | Western Washington University Bellingham, WAPublicMaster's | 7 | 65% | — |
Offered in 2 states
Where Comparative Psychology graduates come from. Each state links to all Research and Experimental Psychology programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 1 | 9 | CUNY Hunter College9 / yr |
| Washington | 1 | 7 | Western Washington University7 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-3039, Psychologists, All Other, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Comparative Psychology program typically pursue careers as psychologists, with an average annual salary of $117,580. The job outlook for this field is about as fast as average, with an expected growth rate of 4.3% and approximately 3,900 annual openings requiring a Master's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 42.2702
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Psychologists, All Otherprimary SOC 19-3039 | $110,840 | +4.3% About as fast as average | ~3,900 | Master's degree |
Managers, All Other SOC 11-9199 | $141,900 | +4.5% About as fast as average | ~106,700 | Bachelor's degree |
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1066 | $80,340 | +3.6% About as fast as average | ~4,000 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Related careers
Other Research and Experimental Psychology specializations
The 10 other 6-digit CIP codes under Research and Experimental Psychology (CIP 42.27).
- Research and Experimental PsychologyCIP 42.279914,082 graduates / yr152 institutions
- Experimental PsychologyCIP 42.27044,599 graduates / yr74 institutions
- Developmental and Child PsychologyCIP 42.27031,771 graduates / yr63 institutions
- Behavioral NeuroscienceCIP 42.27061,391 graduates / yr32 institutions
- Social PsychologyCIP 42.2707455 graduates / yr33 institutions
- Cognitive Psychology and PsycholinguisticsCIP 42.2701382 graduates / yr22 institutions
- Psychometrics and Quantitative PsychologyCIP 42.2708210 graduates / yr16 institutions
- PsychopharmacologyCIP 42.2709partial data74 graduates / yr5 institutions
- Personality PsychologyCIP 42.2705limited data23 graduates / yr2 institutions
Show 1 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Developmental and Adolescent Psychology42.2710
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degree do I earn in this program?+
You will earn a Master's degree.
How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+
There are 2 colleges offering this program.
What careers can I pursue after graduation?+
You can work as a psychologist, manager, or psychology teacher.
What is the average salary for graduates?+
The median wage for graduates is $117,580.
What is the CIP code for Comparative Psychology?+
Comparative Psychology is CIP 42.2702 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Research and Experimental Psychology (CIP 42.27). NCES defines it as: 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. Includes instruction in differential psychology, experimental and physiological psychology, psychopharmacology, psychology of individual differences, reinforcement theory, and neurophysiology.
How many institutions offer Comparative Psychology programs?+
2 U.S. institutions reported Comparative Psychology graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 2 states, awarding 16 credentials in the year. That is 0.1% of all Research and Experimental Psychology graduates.
How much do Comparative Psychology graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Psychologists, All Other occupation, which Comparative Psychology most directly leads to, pays a median of $110,840 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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