Research and Experimental Psychology at Bates College

Bates graduates with psychology research degrees earn $47,376 in their first year—36% above the national median for this field and matching Maine's state median. That puts them in the 95th percentile nationally, which sounds impressive until you consider the small sample size (under 30 graduates) and the modest absolute earnings number. The real story here is the exceptionally low debt: at $13,750, it's nearly 40% below the national median for this program, giving graduates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29.

The catch? Maine only has three schools offering this specific program, so the state comparison doesn't tell us much. More importantly, psychology research degrees typically require graduate education for career advancement, meaning these first-year numbers may not reflect the field's true earnings trajectory. That said, Bates' combination of minimal debt and solid initial placement creates breathing room for graduates who want to pursue advanced degrees without drowning in undergraduate loans. For a highly selective liberal arts college (13% acceptance rate), this is about what you'd expect: not a direct path to high earnings, but a low-debt foundation.

For families who can afford Bates' price tag or qualify for its need-based aid, the light debt load makes this workable if your student is genuinely committed to research psychology and understands they'll likely need graduate school. The small sample makes it risky to bank on these exact numbers repeating.