by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 2 U.S. colleges awarded 16 degrees and certificates in Comparative Psychology. Graduates earn a median $34,806 one year after completing, rising to $58,844 after four years.
A degree in Comparative Psychology covers Comparative Psychology. A Program That Focuses On The Behavior Of Members Of Particular Species Or Groups And The Relationship Of The Behaviors Of The Species Or Group To Their Evolutionary Origins. Includes Instruction In Differential Psychology, Experimental And Physiological Psychology, Psychopharmacology, Psychology Of Individual Differences, Reinforcement Theory, And Neurophysiology.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, comparative psychology draws strong interest, with 16 degrees awarded annually. 2 colleges award comparative psychology degrees, an average of 8 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 9.
All 16 of the awards are master’s degrees, the only level colleges reported.
Women earned 88% of comparative psychology degrees and certificates in the latest year (14 of 16). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (10) and Hispanic or Latino (4).
O*NET rates Reading Comprehension the most important skill for jobs related to comparative psychology, at 4.1 out of 5. The key knowledge areas are English Language, Education and Training and Psychology. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a comparative psychology degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 16 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to comparative psychology, at 33.1%.
| Level of Education | Percentage 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: O*NET Online.
11 occupations are related to Comparative Psychology, with an average median salary of $105,599; the strongest outlook belongs to Compliance Managers, at 13.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Mental Measurements Teacher, Adjunct Instructor, Applied Psychology Professor and Faculty Member.
The occupation related to comparative psychology with the most projected jobs is Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary, at 513,614.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | 513,614 | -3.0% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
| Clinical Neuropsychologists | 216,013 | 8.9% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| Neuropsychologists | 186,493 | 6.5% |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | 128,884 | 5.2% |
Comparative Psychology graduates earn a median $34,806 one year after completing their program, $58,844 after four years and $59,483 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $34,806 |
| 4 years | $58,844 |
| 5 years | $59,483 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to comparative psychology is Wind Energy Development Managers, with a median salary of $169,952.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,479 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
| Neuropsychologists | $83,690 |
Comparative Psychology has 9 similar majors in the Psychology field, which together award 24,487 degrees a year; the largest are Research and Experimental Psychology, Other (14,964), Experimental Psychology (5,021) and Developmental and Child Psychology (1,864). Browse all Psychology majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Research and Experimental Psychology, Other | 14,964 |
| Experimental Psychology | 5,021 |
| Developmental and Child Psychology | 1,864 |
| Behavioral Neuroscience | 1,447 |
| Social Psychology | 458 |
| Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics | 425 |
| Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology | 211 |
| Psychopharmacology | 74 |
| Personality Psychology | 23 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.