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Comparative Psychology

Types of Degrees Comparative Psychology Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Comparative Psychology may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	9

What Comparative Psychology Majors Need to Know

Studies in Comparative Psychology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Comparative Psychology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Comparative Psychology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Comparative Psychology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Comparative Psychology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Comparative Psychology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Comparative Psychology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft SharePoint	Document management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Comparative Psychology graduates include:

• Adjunct Psychology Instructor
• Educational Psychology Teacher
• Clinical Psychology Professor
• Lecturer
• Instructor
• Psychology Faculty Member
• Industrial Psychology Professor
• Professor
• Industrial Psychology Teacher
• Adjunct Psychology Faculty Member
• Psychology Adjunct Instructor
• Assistant Professor
• Child Development Professor
• Applied Psychology Teacher
• Abnormal Psychology Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Comparative Psychology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	33.1%
Post-doctoral training	25.2%
Doctoral degree	17.5%
Master’s degree	8.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	5.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	4.0%
Postsecondary certificate	2.6%
Some college courses	2.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.7%
Post-master’s certificate	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Comparative Psychology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 66.7% of Comparative Psychology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	6	66.7%
Men	3	33.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Comparative Psychology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	7	77.8%
Hispanic or Latino	1	11.1%
Two or More Races	1	11.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Comparative Psychology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Comparative Psychology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$34,814
4 years	$50,900
5 years	$59,985

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $59,985 — roughly 72% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Comparative Psychology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Comparative Psychology graduates earn a median of $50,900 four years after completion — roughly 34% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Research and Experimental Psychology	42.27
Behavioral Neuroscience	42.2706
Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics	42.2701
Developmental and Adolescent Psychology	42.2710
Developmental and Child Psychology	42.2703
Experimental Psychology	42.2704
Personality Psychology	42.2705
Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology	42.2708
Psychopharmacology	42.2709
Research and Experimental Psychology, Other	42.2799
Social Psychology	42.2707
Applied Behavior Analysis	42.2814

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.