Best institutions to study Research and Experimental Psychology
Any instructional program in research and experimental psychology not listed above.
152 U.S. institutions graduated 14,082 Research and Experimental Psychology students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 42.2799, 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 Research and Experimental Psychology programs
Any instructional program in research and experimental psychology not listed above.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Research and Experimental Psychology program focuses on the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. It is designed for students interested in exploring psychological theories and conducting research to understand human behavior in various contexts. This program is suitable for those who wish to pursue careers in psychology or related fields.
Students in this program will engage in coursework that covers research methodologies, experimental design, and statistical analysis. They will gain a solid foundation in psychological principles and learn how to apply research techniques to study behavior and mental processes effectively.
Credentials awarded
What Research and Experimental Psychology graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree12,618 graduates / yr · 106 institutions90%
- Master's degree804 graduates / yr · 58 institutions5.7%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship620 graduates / yr · 64 institutions4.4%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year24 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.2%
- Post-master's certificate9 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.1%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate7 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.0%
Graduates over time
Research and Experimental Psychology completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 885 |
| 2014 | 1,056 |
| 2015 | 1,040 |
| 2016 | 2,003 |
| 2017 | 2,982 |
| 2018 | 4,828 |
| 2019 | 5,721 |
| 2020 | 7,482 |
| 2021 | 9,374 |
| 2022 | 10,467 |
| 2023 | 12,542 |
| 2024 | 13,109 |
| 2025 | 14,082 |
Top 50 institutions for Research and Experimental 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 | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California - Davis Davis, CAPublicBachelor's | 903 | 86% | — | $32,301 |
| 2 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 694 | 87% | — | $29,830 |
| 3 | New York University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 655 | 88% | $29,023 | $37,512 |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, ILPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 591 | 85% | — | $33,384 |
| 5 | University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 568 | 85% | — | — |
| 6 | University of California - Riverside Riverside, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 562 | 76% | — | $25,654 |
| 7 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UTPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 485 | 65% | — | $39,661 |
| 8 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 467 | 85% | — | $34,715 |
| 9 | University of Oregon Eugene, ORPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 459 | 72% | — | — |
| 10 | American Public University System Charles Town, WVPrivate for-profitBachelor's | 398 | 57% | $10,199 | — |
| 11 | The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TNPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 397 | 74% | — | — |
| 12 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 367 | 93% | — | $34,450 |
| 13 | University of California - Merced Merced, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 339 | 69% | — | — |
| 14 | University of North Florida Jacksonville, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 334 | 69% | — | $30,816 |
| 15 | Brigham Young University Provo, UTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 326 | 81% | $13,712 | — |
| 16 | Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, INPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 314 | 80% | — | $31,129 |
| 17 | University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Milwaukee, WIPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 250 | 49% | — | — |
| 18 | University of Delaware Newark, DEPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 232 | 81% | — | $31,532 |
| 19 | Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, COPublicBachelor's | 216 | 32% | — | $39,955 |
| 20 | Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 214 | 86% | $33,106 | — |
| 21 | Northeastern University Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 182 | 91% | $18,925 | $38,463 |
| 22 | Northeastern State University Tahlequah, OKPublicBachelor's | 169 | 35% | — | $32,440 |
| 23 | Sacred Heart University Fairfield, CTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 152 | 73% | $42,705 | — |
| 24 | Duke University Durham, NCPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 148 | 97% | $16,260 | $39,359 |
| 25 | University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GAPublicBachelor's | 148 | 37% | — | $30,389 |
| 26 | Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TXPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 142 | 86% | $25,823 | — |
| 27 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sDoctoralMaster'sMaster's | 141 | 96% | $15,315 | $53,156 |
| 28 | University of Rochester Rochester, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sDoctoral | 136 | 85% | $25,874 | $39,732 |
| 29 | Drexel University Philadelphia, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 124 | 78% | $36,004 | — |
| 30 | University of Toledo Toledo, OHPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 123 | 57% | — | — |
| 31 | Kansas State University Manhattan, KSPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 116 | 71% | — | $36,257 |
| 32 | University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NVPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 113 | 61% | — | — |
| 33 | Pace University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 100 | 60% | $29,994 | — |
| 34 | Pennsylvania Western University California, PAPublicBachelor's | 98 | 52% | — | $33,330 |
| 35 | University of Kansas Lawrence, KSPublicBachelor'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearDoctoralMaster's | 85 | 69% | — | — |
| 36 | Stanford University Stanford, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 84 | 92% | $12,032 | — |
| 37 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 81 | 97% | $22,055 | $44,542 |
| 38 | Cornell University Ithaca, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 77 | 95% | $17,613 | — |
| 39 | Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 76 | 94% | — | — |
| 40 | Georgia College & State University Milledgeville, GAPublicBachelor's | 73 | 64% | — | $32,149 |
| 41 | Barnard College New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 69 | 93% | $24,675 | $44,055 |
| 42 | Davidson College Davidson, NCPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 69 | 91% | $16,628 | — |
| 43 | Colgate University Hamilton, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 68 | 91% | $22,903 | $41,883 |
| 44 | Creighton University Omaha, NEPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 63 | 83% | $27,353 | $26,845 |
| 45 | Lafayette College Easton, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 62 | 88% | $20,396 | — |
| 46 | St Olaf College Northfield, MNPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 61 | 84% | $18,124 | $35,070 |
| 47 | St. Francis College Brooklyn, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 56 | 55% | $26,091 | — |
| 48 | Middlebury College Middlebury, VTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 56 | 91% | $20,918 | — |
| 49 | Murray State University Murray, KYPublicBachelor's | 54 | 61% | — | $23,674 |
| 50 | Bates College Lewiston, MEPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 53 | 90% | $18,203 | $47,376 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Research and Experimental Psychology field (CIP 42.27) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 39 states
Where Research and Experimental Psychology graduates come from. Each state links to all Research and Experimental Psychology programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-3039, Psychologists, All Other, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Research and Experimental Psychology program can pursue various careers, primarily as psychologists or in related roles. 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. The median wage for psychologists is $117,580, with a typical education requirement of a master's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 42.2799
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).
- 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
- Comparative PsychologyCIP 42.2702limited data16 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 degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctor's degree in Research and Experimental Psychology.
How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+
There are 152 colleges offering the Research and Experimental Psychology program in the U.S.
What is the average number of graduates per year?+
Approximately 14,082 students graduate each year from this program.
What careers can I pursue with this degree?+
You can work as a psychologist, manager, or psychology teacher, among other roles.
What is the CIP code for Research and Experimental Psychology?+
Research and Experimental Psychology is CIP 42.2799 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: Any instructional program in research and experimental psychology not listed above.
How many institutions offer Research and Experimental Psychology programs?+
152 U.S. institutions reported Research and Experimental Psychology graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 39 states, awarding 14,082 credentials in the year. That is 61.2% of all Research and Experimental Psychology graduates.
How much do Research and Experimental Psychology graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Psychologists, All Other occupation, which Research and Experimental Psychology most directly leads to, pays a median of $110,840 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Research and Experimental Psychology field report median earnings of $34,715 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
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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