Best institutions to study Social Psychology
A program that focuses on the scientific study of individual behavior in group contexts, group behavior, and associated phenomena.
33 U.S. institutions graduated 455 Social Psychology students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 42.2707, 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 Social Psychology programs
A program that focuses on the scientific study of individual behavior in group contexts, group behavior, and associated phenomena. Includes instruction in social learning theory, group theory and dynamics, sex roles, social cognition and inference, attribution theory, attitude formation, criminal behavior and other social pathologies, altruistic behavior, social development, and social ecology.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Social Psychology program, a specialization within Research and Experimental Psychology, focuses on the scientific study of individual behavior in group contexts. It is ideal for students interested in understanding how social dynamics influence thoughts, feelings, and actions. This program delves into various phenomena, including social learning theory, group behavior, and altruistic behavior, making it suitable for those passionate about human interactions and societal influences.
Students in the Social Psychology program will explore core concepts such as social cognition, attitude formation, and social ecology. Coursework typically includes instruction in group dynamics, attribution theory, and the psychological aspects of criminal behavior, equipping graduates with a comprehensive understanding of social influences on behavior.
Credentials awarded
What Social Psychology graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree222 graduates / yr · 11 institutions49%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year52 graduates / yr · 1 institution11%
- Master's degree44 graduates / yr · 10 institutions9.7%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship40 graduates / yr · 13 institutions8.8%
- Associate's degree39 graduates / yr · 2 institutions8.6%
- Award of less than 12 weeks31 graduates / yr · 1 institution6.8%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate14 graduates / yr · 2 institutions3.1%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years13 graduates / yr · 1 institution2.9%
Graduates over time
Social Psychology completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1,000 |
| 2013 | 1,094 |
| 2014 | 1,174 |
| 2015 | 1,327 |
| 2016 | 1,282 |
| 2017 | 1,307 |
| 2018 | 1,214 |
| 2019 | 1,166 |
| 2020 | 1,032 |
| 2021 | 906 |
| 2022 | 653 |
| 2023 | 522 |
| 2024 | 452 |
| 2025 | 455 |
Top 33 institutions for Social 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 | Park University Parkville, MOPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sAssociate's | 84 | 38% | $16,013 | $40,313 |
| 2 | Jackson College Jackson, MIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 52 | 16% | — | — |
| 3 | Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Abington Abington, PAPublicBachelor's | 50 | 20% | — | — |
| 4 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CAPublicBachelor's | 36 | 86% | — | $23,420 |
| 5 | The Evergreen State College Olympia, WAPublicAward of less than 12 weeks | 31 | 41% | — | — |
| 6 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NYPublicMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 30 | 57% | — | — |
| 7 | Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MOPublicBachelor's | 29 | 54% | — | $35,556 |
| 8 | Ozarks Technical Community College Springfield, MOPublicAssociate's | 23 | 33% | — | — |
| 9 | Macomb Community College Warren, MIPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 13 | 18% | — | — |
| 10 | Maryville University of Saint Louis Saint Louis, MOPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 10 | 66% | $24,921 | — |
| 11 | Tiffin University Tiffin, OHPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 10 | 40% | $24,126 | — |
| 12 | Pennsylvania Western University California, PAPublicBachelor's | 9 | 52% | — | $33,330 |
| 13 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoral | 7 | 73% | $33,454 | — |
| 14 | New York University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralMaster's | 7 | 88% | $29,023 | $37,512 |
| 15 | Florida International University Miami, FLPublicPost-degree cert. | 6 | 74% | — | — |
| 16 | Ball State University Muncie, INPublicMaster's | 6 | 62% | — | — |
| 17 | University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NVPublicDoctoralMaster's | 6 | 61% | — | — |
| 18 | Teachers College at Columbia University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralMaster's | 6 | — | — | — |
| 19 | University of Houston Houston, TXPublicDoctoral | 6 | 65% | — | — |
| 20 | University of Massachusetts - Boston Boston, MAPublicBachelor's | 5 | 49% | — | — |
| 21 | University at Albany Albany, NYPublicDoctoral | 5 | 61% | — | — |
| 22 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 3 | 87% | — | $29,830 |
| 23 | George Washington University Washington, DCPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral | 3 | 84% | $29,789 | $37,906 |
| 24 | University of Massachusetts - Lowell Lowell, MAPublicMaster's | 3 | 65% | — | — |
| 25 | Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NYPublicDoctoral | 3 | 76% | — | — |
| 26 | University of Connecticut Storrs, CTPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 2 | 83% | — | — |
| 27 | University of Rochester Rochester, NYPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral | 2 | 85% | $25,874 | $39,732 |
| 28 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NYPublicDoctoral | 2 | 75% | — | — |
| 29 | Pennsylvania State University - World Campus University Park, PAPublicBachelor's | 2 | 34% | — | $34,375 |
| 30 | Saint Mary's College of California Moraga, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 70% | $25,578 | — |
| 31 | University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IAPublicMaster's | 1 | 68% | — | — |
| 32 | Boston College Chestnut Hill, MAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 1 | 91% | $21,126 | — |
| 33 | Syracuse University Syracuse, NYPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral | 1 | 84% | $28,851 | — |
* 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 16 states
Where Social Psychology graduates come from. Each state links to all Research and Experimental Psychology programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 4 | 146 | Park University84 / yr |
| Michigan | 2 | 65 | Jackson College52 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | 61 | Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Abington50 / yr |
| New York | 8 | 56 | CUNY Hunter College30 / yr |
| California | 3 | 40 | University of California - San Diego36 / yr |
| Washington | 1 | 31 | The Evergreen State College31 / yr |
| Ohio | 1 | 10 | Tiffin University10 / yr |
| Massachusetts | 3 | 9 | University of Massachusetts - Boston5 / yr |
| Illinois | 1 | 7 | Loyola University Chicago7 / yr |
| Florida | 1 | 6 | Florida International University6 / yr |
| Indiana | 1 | 6 | Ball State University6 / yr |
| Nevada | 1 | 6 | University of Nevada - Reno6 / yr |
| Texas | 1 | 6 | University of Houston6 / yr |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 3 | George Washington University3 / yr |
| Connecticut | 1 | 2 | University of Connecticut2 / yr |
| Iowa | 1 | 1 | University of Northern Iowa1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-3039, Psychologists, All Other, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Social Psychology program can pursue various careers, including roles as psychologists, managers, and psychology teachers. The job outlook for related occupations is about as fast as average, with an expected growth rate of 4.3% and approximately 3,900 annual openings. The median wage for these positions is around $117,580, with a typical education requirement of a master's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 42.2707
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
- 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 are offered in this program?+
The program offers a Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, and Doctor's degree, among other awards.
How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+
There are 33 colleges in the U.S. that offer the Social Psychology program.
What careers can I pursue with a degree in Social Psychology?+
Graduates can work as psychologists, managers, or psychology teachers, among other roles.
What is the job outlook for Social Psychology graduates?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with a growth rate of 4.3% and 3,900 annual openings.
What is the CIP code for Social Psychology?+
Social Psychology is CIP 42.2707 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 scientific study of individual behavior in group contexts, group behavior, and associated phenomena. Includes instruction in social learning theory, group theory and dynamics, sex roles, social cognition and inference, attribution theory, attitude formation, criminal behavior and other social pathologies, altruistic behavior, social development, and social ecology.
How many institutions offer Social Psychology programs?+
33 U.S. institutions reported Social Psychology graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 16 states, awarding 455 credentials in the year. That is 2.0% of all Research and Experimental Psychology graduates.
How much do Social Psychology graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Psychologists, All Other occupation, which Social 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 $35,556 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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