Educational Psychology: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Education psychology explores the cognitive, emotional, and social factors that shape learning and teaching within formal and informal educational settings. This field integrates psychological principles with educational practice to understand how individuals acquire knowledge, develop skills, and respond to instructional environments. The program prepares scholars and practitioners to analyze and improve educational outcomes through evidence-based strategies.
- Learning Theory: Examines the psychological frameworks that explain how individuals acquire, process, and retain knowledge, including behaviorist, cognitive, and constructivist models.
- Human Growth and Development: Investigates the psychological, physical, and emotional changes across the lifespan, with emphasis on developmental milestones relevant to educational contexts.
- Research Methods: Focuses on quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches to design, conduct, and evaluate studies in educational settings.
- Psychological Evaluation: Involves the development and application of assessment tools to measure cognitive abilities, learning disabilities, emotional well-being, and academic progress.
Educational Psychology Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Educational Psychology Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Educational Psychology degrees, including Managers, All Other, Psychologists, All Other and School Psychologists. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 754,210 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, All Other 11-9199 | $136,550 | $68,860 - $227,590 | 630,980 | $65.65 |
| Psychologists, All Other 19-3039 | $117,580 | $51,410 - $163,570 | 17,790 | $56.53 |
| School Psychologists 19-3034 | $86,930 | $60,880 - $132,320 | 63,830 | $41.79 |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1066 | $80,330 | $47,870 - $158,900 | 41,610 | N/A |
Educational Psychology Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $77,853 in West Virginia to $135,793 in California—a 74% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 754,210 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Educational Psychology by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 90 institutions offering Educational Psychology programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Educational Psychology is found at Mississippi State University (MSU) (95 graduates), University of Minnesota (UMN), Twin Cities (87 graduates), University of Utah (U of U) (83 graduates), Texas A & M University, College Station (80 graduates), and Purdue University Global (80 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 1,979 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
95 | Mississippi State, Mississippi | Public | msstate.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
87 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| University of Utah (U of U) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
83 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Public | utah.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
80 | College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| Purdue University Global |
Master's
|
80 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdueglobal.edu |
| Ball State University (BSU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
70 | Muncie, Indiana | Public | bsu.edu |
| University of Pittsburgh |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
68 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Public | pitt.edu |
| Capella University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
65 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Private | capella.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
63 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
62 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| University of Southern Maine (USM) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
62 | Portland, Maine | Public | usm.maine.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
59 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Public | uwm.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
58 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| The University of Alabama (UA) |
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
47 | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Public | ua.edu |
| Florida State University (FSU) |
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
47 | Tallahassee, Florida | Public | fsu.edu |
| University of Virginia (UVA) |
Master's
|
42 | Charlottesville, Virginia | Public | virginia.edu |
| The University of Tennessee |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
39 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Public | utk.edu |
| Tufts University |
Master's
|
37 | Medford, Massachusetts | Private | tufts.edu |
| University of North Texas (UNT) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
35 | Denton, Texas | Public | unt.edu |
| University of the Pacific (UOP) |
Master's
|
34 | Stockton, California | Private | pacific.edu |
| Texas Tech University (TTU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
34 | Lubbock, Texas | Public | ttu.edu |
| Loyola Marymount University (LMU) |
Master's
|
33 | Los Angeles, California | Private | lmu.edu |
| University of Northern Colorado (UNCO) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
31 | Greeley, Colorado | Public | unco.edu |
| Alliant International University |
Doctorate (Professional)
|
29 | San Diego, California | Private | alliant.edu |
| University at Albany (UAlbany) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
27 | Albany, New York | Public | albany.edu |
| William & Mary (W&M) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
25 | Williamsburg, Virginia | Public | wm.edu |
| University of Connecticut (UConn) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
24 | Storrs, Connecticut | Public | uconn.edu |
| Loyola University Chicago (LUC) |
Master's
|
24 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | luc.edu |
| Florida Atlantic University (FAU) |
Master's
|
21 | Boca Raton, Florida | Public | fau.edu |
| University of Missouri-St Louis (UMSL) |
Master's
|
21 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Public | umsl.edu |
| Kean University |
Master's
|
20 | Union, New Jersey | Public | kean.edu |
| Kent State University |
Master's
|
20 | Kent, Ohio | Public | kent.edu |
| Columbia University in the City of New York |
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | New York, New York | Private | columbia.edu |
| Baylor University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Waco, Texas | Private | baylor.edu |
| The Chicago School (TCSPP) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Los Angeles, California | Private | thechicagoschool.edu |
| Eastern Michigan University (EMU) |
Master's
|
17 | Ypsilanti, Michigan | Public | emich.edu |
| University of Nebraska (UNL) |
Postbac Cert.
Doctorate (Research)
|
17 | Lincoln, Nebraska | Public | unl.edu |
| University of Kentucky (UK) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
16 | Lexington, Kentucky | Public | uky.edu |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) |
Master's
|
16 | Indiana, Pennsylvania | Public | iup.edu |
| University of Nevada (UNLV) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
15 | Las Vegas, Nevada | Public | unlv.edu |
| George Mason University |
Master's
|
14 | Fairfax, Virginia | Public | www2.gmu.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Master's
|
13 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | Public | newbrunswick.rutgers.edu |
| Oklahoma State University (OSU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Other Award
|
13 | Stillwater, Oklahoma | Public | okstate.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Master's
|
13 | Arlington, Texas | Public | uta.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
12 | Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| Harvard University |
Doctorate (Research)
|
12 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| CUNY Hunter College |
Master's
|
12 | New York, New York | Public | hunter.cuny.edu |
| Youngstown State University (YSU) |
Master's
|
12 | Youngstown, Ohio | Public | ysu.edu |
| Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) |
Doctorate (Professional)
|
11 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | pcom.edu |
| Georgia State University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | Atlanta, Georgia | Public | gsu.edu |
| University of Kansas (KU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | Lawrence, Kansas | Public | ku.edu |
| Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest) |
Master's
|
10 | California, Pennsylvania | Public | pennwest.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Master's
|
9 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
9 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| University of Northern Iowa (UNI) |
Master's
|
9 | Cedar Falls, Iowa | Public | uni.edu |
| New Jersey City University (NJCU) |
Master's
|
9 | Jersey City, New Jersey | Public | njcu.edu |
| University of Memphis (UofM) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
9 | Memphis, Tennessee | Public | memphis.edu |
| Wichita State University (WSU) |
Master's
|
8 | Wichita, Kansas | Public | wichita.edu |
| Louisiana State University (LSUS) |
Post-Master's
|
8 | Shreveport, Louisiana | Public | lsus.edu |
| Michigan State University (MSU) |
Postbac Cert.
|
8 | East Lansing, Michigan | Public | msu.edu |
| Northern Arizona University (NAU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | Flagstaff, Arizona | Public | nau.edu |
| University of Hawaii (UHM) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | Honolulu, Hawaii | Public | manoa.hawaii.edu |
| Eastern Washington University (EWU) |
Postbac Cert.
Other Award
|
7 | Cheney, Washington | Public | ewu.edu |
| Webster University |
Master's
|
6 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | webster.edu |
| University of New Mexico (UNM) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Public | unm.edu |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | New York, New York | Public | gc.cuny.edu |
| University of Toledo (UToledo) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Toledo, Ohio | Public | utoledo.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | psu.edu |
| The University of Texas (UTSA) |
Master's
|
6 | San Antonio, Texas | Public | utsa.edu |
| Northcentral University (NCU) |
Master's
|
6 | San Diego, California | Private | nu.edu |
| Northern Illinois University (NIU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | Dekalb, Illinois | Public | niu.edu |
| Nicholls State University |
Post-Master's
|
5 | Thibodaux, Louisiana | Public | nicholls.edu |
| Andrews University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Berrien Springs, Michigan | Private | andrews.edu |
| West Virginia University (WVU) |
Master's
|
4 | Morgantown, West Virginia | Public | wvu.edu |
| University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | uic.edu |
| Wayne State University (WSU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Detroit, Michigan | Public | wayne.edu |
| University at Buffalo (UB) |
Master's
|
3 | Buffalo, New York | Public | buffalo.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Commerce, Texas | Public | tamuc.edu |
| University of Houston (UH) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Houston, Texas | Public | uh.edu |
| La Sierra University |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Riverside, California | Private | lasierra.edu |
| Howard University (HU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | howard.edu |
| University of Iowa |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Iowa City, Iowa | Public | uiowa.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMCP) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | College Park, Maryland | Public | umd.edu |
| Southern California Seminary (SCS) |
Doctorate (Professional)
|
1 | El Cajon, California | Private | socalsem.edu |
| University of the Southwest (USW) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
1 | Hobbs, New Mexico | Private | usw.edu |
| Miami University |
Master's
|
1 | Oxford, Ohio | Public | miamioh.edu |
| University of Oklahoma (OU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
1 | Norman, Oklahoma | Public | ou.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Master's
|
1 | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| Bethany College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Bethany, West Virginia | Private | bethanywv.edu |
| Texas A&M University (TAMUCT) |
Master's
|
1 | Killeen, Texas | Public | tamuct.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Educational Psychology programs
How much can I earn with a Educational Psychology degree?
Salaries for Educational Psychology graduates vary by role and location. Managers, All Other earn a median of $136,550 annually, while Psychologists, All Other earn around $117,580. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $135,793 compared to $77,853 in West Virginia. Approximately 754,210 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Educational Psychology programs?
Currently 90 accredited institutions offer Educational Psychology degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Mississippi State University (MSU) (95 graduates), University of Minnesota (UMN), Twin Cities (87 graduates), and University of Utah (U of U) (83 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Educational Psychology growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 2,034 in 2010 to 1,979 in 2023-24. This represents a 3% decrease overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Educational Psychology degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Managers, All Other, Psychologists, All Other, and School Psychologists. Related occupations employ approximately 754,210 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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