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Research and Experimental Psychology at University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
50 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
51
Optimistic
50
Base Case
50
Pessimistic
Earnings $34,431/yr (-2% vs median)
AI Risk High (44% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (203,900 openings/yr)
ROI 10.7x earnings multiple (3.5x out-of-state)
Ranked #5 of 84 Research and Experimental Psychology programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Research and Experimental Psychology graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $652K $642K $575K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 10.9x 10.7x 9.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.6x 3.5x 3.1x
Probability of Field Employment 52% 48% 36%
DegreeOutlook Score 51 50 50

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$59,860
Out-of-state: $182,968 (3.5x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$55,300
8% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$14,500
5.1 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$66,321
93% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $34,431/yr, Research and Experimental Psychology graduates from University of California-Santa Barbara land near the $35,198 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

The 10.7x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 44% task exposure — and the 12% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $14,500 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

A #5 ranking out of 84 Research and Experimental Psychology programs nationally puts University of California-Santa Barbara in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.

Earnings growth from $34,431 to $66,321 over five years (93% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of California-Santa Barbara

A 28% acceptance rate puts University of California-Santa Barbara in competitive admissions territory, one of the larger campuses at 23,205 students in Santa Barbara, CA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of California-Santa Barbara →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr
Psychologists, all other $117,580/yr
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary $105,620/yr
View all 11 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 84 schools offering Research and Experimental Psychology →

Research and Experimental Psychology at Other Schools

Tufts University ($56,504) Columbia University in the City of New York ($53,156) Johns Hopkins University ($49,035) Yale University ($47,874) Bates College ($47,376) Princeton University ($47,050) Amherst College ($45,786) University of Pennsylvania ($44,542)

Other Majors at University of California-Santa Barbara

Computer Science ($107,776) Computer Engineering ($91,387) Mechanical Engineering ($81,108) Chemical Engineering ($79,737) Economics ($66,334) Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods ($66,099) Applied Mathematics ($59,638) Statistics ($55,110)

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of California-Santa Barbara's Research and Experimental Psychology program score?
This program scores 50/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Research and Experimental Psychology graduates.
How vulnerable is Research and Experimental Psychology to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Research and Experimental Psychology careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 44% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →