Updated March 2026 · College Scorecard data
Is Research and Experimental Psychology Worth It?
Research and Experimental Psychology holds a solid national average ROI Score of 66/100 across 18 reporting schools — Grade B territory, where repayment math works for most graduates at most institutions. Across the field, median debt is $25K against $48K in first-year earnings — a healthy debt load — repayment falls comfortably under the 8% rule on a standard 10-year plan.
Research and Experimental Psychology ROI at a Glance
holds a solid national average ROI Score of 66/100 across 18 reporting schools — Grade B territory, where repayment math works for most graduates at most institutions. The graduation-weighted average across reporting institutions is the cleanest single number for the field, but it hides the spread — top programs like Bates College run far ahead of the bottom of the table. School choice within Research and Experimental Psychology matters because the major-level number is a starting point, not a prediction.
Earnings rise sharply from $48K in year 1 to $65K by year 5 — 36% growth in four years. That is a strong promotion curve, common in technology, engineering, and finance tracks where early-career skill compounding pays off fast. The five-year earnings trajectory is one of the strongest signals of long-run career fit; a flat curve suggests the major leads to roles where seniority does not pay off without graduate credentials, while a steep curve indicates fast skill compounding inside the field.
Best in field: Bates College leads the field with a 68/100 ROI Score (Grade B). Median debt at completion is $21K against $48K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.44x. Worst in field: American Public University System sits at the bottom of the field with a 62/100 ROI Score (Grade C). Median debt at completion is $34K against $48K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.71x.
Debt-to-Income at the Field Level
At a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52x, Research and Experimental Psychology shows a healthy debt load — repayment falls comfortably under the 8% rule on a standard 10-year plan. Federal financial-aid research uses the “8% rule” — monthly student loan payments under 8% of gross monthly income — which translates to debt below roughly 0.75x annual earnings on a standard 10-year plan. Programs running above 1.0x typically need income-driven repayment to stay current; above 1.5x, the math rarely works without forgiveness mechanics or an unusually steep career ramp. For borrower-rights and repayment guidance, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is the most accessible federal source.
Debt vs Earnings by School
Research and Experimental Psychology by School
| School | State | Median Debt | Year 1 Earnings | Year 5 Earnings | ROI Grade | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bates College | Me | $21K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| Brandeis University | Ma | $20K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| Carleton College | Mn | $20K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| Claremont McKenna College | Ca | $19K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| Colgate University | Ny | $21K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| Amherst College | Ma | $22K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| Brown University | Ri | $23K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| Albright College | Pa | $26K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| Bowdoin College | Me | $24K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| Canisius University | Ny | $25K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| College of Coastal Georgia | Ga | $24K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| Agnes Scott College | Ga | $26K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| Albion College | Mi | $27K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| Baldwin Wallace University | Oh | $27K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| Centre College | Ky | $26K | $48K | $65K | B | BUY |
| Barnard College | Ny | $30K | $48K | $65K | C | BUY |
| Bay Path University | Ma | $29K | $48K | $65K | C | BUY |
| American Public University System | Wv | $34K | $48K | $65K | C | BUY |
How Research and Experimental Psychology’s ROI Score Is Calculated
The Research and Experimental Psychology ROI Score is a weighted composite of five financial-aid signals: debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium over a high-school diploma (25%), 10-year BLS job-growth outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. the national average (10%). Each school + major combination is scored individually, then aggregated up to the field level. The grade thresholds (A ≥ 80, B ≥ 65, C ≥ 50, D ≥ 35, F < 35) are calibrated so a typical break-even degree lands in the C range. Read the full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Research and Experimental Psychology degree worth it?
Research and Experimental Psychology holds a solid national average ROI Score of 66/100 across 18 reporting schools — Grade B territory, where repayment math works for most graduates at most institutions. The dominant signal is debt-to-income: at a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52x on average, the field shows a healthy debt load — repayment falls comfortably under the 8% rule on a standard 10-year plan. Outcomes vary sharply by institution, so the school you choose within Research and Experimental Psychology usually matters more than the major label itself.
What is the average debt for a Research and Experimental Psychology degree?
Median debt at completion across the 18 U.S. schools reporting Research and Experimental Psychology data to the College Scorecard is $25K, against a national all-major average of $26K. The range across schools is wide — $21K at the top of the table to $34K at the bottom.
How much do Research and Experimental Psychology graduates earn?
Earnings rise sharply from $48K in year 1 to $65K by year 5 — 36% growth in four years. That is a strong promotion curve, common in technology, engineering, and finance tracks where early-career skill compounding pays off fast. National average first-year earnings across all 30,224 school + major combinations on the site is $58K — for context, Research and Experimental Psychology sits below that benchmark.
Which school has the best Research and Experimental Psychology program by ROI?
Bates College leads the field with a 68/100 ROI Score (Grade B). Median debt at completion is $21K against $48K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.44x. On the other end, American Public University System sits at the bottom of the field with a 62/100 ROI Score (Grade C). Median debt at completion is $34K against $48K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.71x.
Where does this Research and Experimental Psychology data come from?
Every figure on this page comes from federal public datasets — the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov) for debt and earnings, IPEDS (nces.ed.gov/ipeds) for graduation rates, and BLS Employment Projections for the job-growth outlook component of the ROI Score. Borrower-rights guidance: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (consumerfinance.gov). The dataset was last refreshed March 2026.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. All federal datasets are public domain.
Last updated 2026-03-15 · 18 schools reporting for this major.