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MASTER'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4227

Research and Experimental Psychology: is this master's degree worth it?

National picture across 13 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$62,661 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$62,661Median year-4 earnings

$21,431Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$62,661Median reported earnings · year 4

$76,634Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

22thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

13Reporting programs

13With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $49,186
Federal debt: $21,320
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $56,830
Federal debt: $21,814
Reporting programs: 111

82 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $62,661
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 13

13 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $104,386
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 6

6 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $53,677
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$58,520National median$62,66175th percentile$74,638

13 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Alliant International University-San Diego$116,546 2New York University$82,490 3University of Michigan-Ann Arbor$75,241 4Kansas State University$74,638 5Teachers College at Columbia University$73,440 6Fort Hays State University$66,097 7Texas State University$62,661 8University of California, Davis$62,626 9Duquesne University$59,911 10The University of Texas at Dallas$58,520

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Managers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 11 crosswalk linksPsychology Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1066 · 10 crosswalk linksPsychologists, All OtherSOC 19-3039 · 9 crosswalk linksChild, Family, and School Social WorkersSOC 21-1021 · 2 crosswalk linksBiological Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1029 · 1 crosswalk linksClinical and Counseling PsychologistsSOC 19-3033 · 1 crosswalk linksHealth Specialties Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1071 · 1 crosswalk linksLife Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1099 · 1 crosswalk linksMedical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsSOC 19-1042 · 1 crosswalk linksSocial Science Research AssistantsSOC 19-4061 · 1 crosswalk linksStatisticiansSOC 15-2041 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	Alliant International University-San DiegoMaster's Degree	San Diego, CA	$116,546	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
2	New York UniversityMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$82,490	Not available	Baseline needed	$37,050
3	University of Michigan-Ann ArborMaster's Degree	Ann Arbor, MI	$75,241	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,138
4	Kansas State UniversityMaster's Degree	Manhattan, KS	$74,638	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,406
5	Teachers College at Columbia UniversityMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$73,440	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
6	Fort Hays State UniversityMaster's Degree	Hays, KS	$66,097	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,569
7	Texas State UniversityMaster's Degree	San Marcos, TX	$62,661	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,805
8	University of California, DavisMaster's Degree	Davis, CA	$62,626	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,741
9	Duquesne UniversityMaster's Degree	Pittsburgh, PA	$59,911	Not available	Baseline needed	$37,730
10	The University of Texas at DallasMaster's Degree	Richardson, TX	$58,520	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,267
11	Walden UniversityMaster's Degree	Minneapolis, MN	$53,809	Not available	Baseline needed	$33,817
12	Capella UniversityMaster's Degree	Minneapolis, MN	$53,408	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,956
13	William Carey UniversityMaster's Degree	Hattiesburg, MS	$42,822	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,258

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.