by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, experimental psychology was the 205th most popular major nationwide with 3,211 degrees awarded. This represents a 2.1% increase in experimental psychology degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 3,144.
Our 2023 Best Experimental Psychology Schools ranking analyzes 50 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for experimental psychology students. Explore this or one of our many other custom experimental psychology rankings further below.
Experimental Psychology majors are found most commonly in careers in which understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents is important. Required skills include giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times and using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most experimental psychology degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. In addition to these basic experimental psychology program qualifications, to serve in some experimental psychology careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
Experimental Psychology degree levels vary. You can spend many years getting as high as a in experimental psychology to something that takes less time like a . How long it takes to complete some common experimental psychology degree levels is shown below.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to experimental psychology, with approximately 34.6% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for experimental psychology workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 33.1% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 30.6% |
| Doctoral Degree | 17.3% |
| Master’s Degree | 11.0% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 2.1% |
Most workers in experimental psychology have at least a master's degree. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in experimental psychology have obtained.
This of course varies depending on which experimental psychology career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your experimental psychology degree? Experimental Psychology careers are expected to grow 8.4% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to experimental psychology.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Managers | 1,071,700 | 8.0% |
| Psychology Professors | 54,000 | 15.1% |
| Psychologists | 19,200 | 10.3% |
As you might expect, salaries for experimental psychology graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for experimental psychology graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers experimental psychology grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Managers | $115,590 |
| Psychologists | $95,610 |
| Psychology Professors | $88,490 |
With over 144 different experimental psychology degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased experimental psychology school rankings to help you with this.
Experimental Psychology is one of 9 different types of Child Development & Psychology programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Other Research & Experimental Psychology | 10,153 |
| Developmental & Child Psychology | 1,419 |
| Behavioral Neuroscience | 1,383 |
| Social Psychology | 982 |
| Cognitive Psychology & Psycholinguistics | 245 |
