Research and Experimental Psychology at Centenary University

A first-year salary under $28,000 creates immediate financial pressure when you're carrying over $25,000 in debt. Centenary's psychology research program graduates earn roughly $10,000 less than the typical New Jersey graduate in this field and trail the national median by nearly $7,000. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.91, graduates face nearly a full year's salary in loans—a burden that will strain any entry-level budget, especially in New Jersey's high cost-of-living environment.

The small sample size here matters. With fewer than 30 graduates tracked, one or two students taking gap years or pursuing unpaid research positions could significantly skew these numbers downward. However, the pattern is concerning enough to warrant serious questions during your campus visit: What career support does the department provide? Where do most graduates actually end up working? Are students being adequately prepared for the job market, or primarily funneled toward graduate school?

If your child is considering this path, understand that research psychology at the bachelor's level rarely leads to high-paying positions without further education. The question becomes whether Centenary specifically prepares students well enough to justify both the cost and the apparent earnings gap compared to other New Jersey programs. You'd want compelling evidence—like strong graduate school placement rates or successful alumni connections—to overcome what the earnings data suggests.