Research and Experimental Psychology at Colgate University

Colgate's experimental psychology program outperforms most national competitors but lands squarely in the middle of New York's offerings—exactly where you'd expect for a selective liberal arts college. That $41,883 first-year salary beats 86% of similar programs nationwide and comes with notably low debt ($16,000 versus the $21,500 national median). The 0.38 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe less than five months' salary, a manageable burden by any measure.

The challenge lies in New York's competitive landscape. Colgate trails Columbia and Barnard by substantial margins, and even peer institution Hamilton College edges it out slightly. At the 60th percentile statewide, this program performs adequately but not exceptionally for New York. For a school with a 12% admission rate and 1480 average SAT scores, some parents might expect stronger differentiation.

One critical caveat: the sample size here is small—under 30 graduates. These numbers could swing significantly year to year, so they're more suggestive than definitive. Still, the low debt burden provides meaningful downside protection. If your child is genuinely drawn to research psychology and Colgate's academic environment, the financial foundation is sound enough to pursue graduate school or entry-level positions without crushing debt. Just don't expect the degree alone to command premium salaries in those first years.