The Best Master's in Experimental Psychology Online

A ranking of the best online master's in psychology programs. Programs ranked by affordability, flexibility, and academic quality.

Updated November 8, 2022

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At the outset, it is essential to know that Experimental Psychology programs may or may not fall under the heading “Experimental Psychology.” Often, training to conduct research is built into a general Master of Arts (M.A.) or Master of Science (M.S.) in Psychology degree, though there are also many programs that do offer M.A. or M.S. (or Ph.D.) degrees specifically in Experimental Psychology. The master’s degree typically prepares students to teach at the junior college level, work in various public and private research settings, and to move on to advanced study. In many cases, master’s degrees are not offered as terminal degrees, but only for those intending to go on to earn a Ph.D.

In this ranking, our editors examine our picks of the top 25 Online Master's for Experimental Psychology programs. For more generalized information regarding distance learning visit our ranking of the top online colleges.

Featured Online Psychology Programs

Find a program that meets your affordability, flexibility, and education needs through an accredited, online school.


#25 – Brooklyn College

Online Master’s in Experimental Psychology

Website The Master's Program in Experimental Psychology at Brooklyn College offers students an education in the foundations of psychological knowledge, the current state of the field, and training in research design and data analysis at an affordable cost. Specifically, students will attain professional-level expertise in classical and current psychological theories and research, methods of data collection and analysis, effective communication, and ethical conduct. Additionally, the faculty has expertise in topics including perception, learning, memory, motor skills, language, emotion, social processes, development, and the neural basis for many of these functions. Thus, students have the flexibility to study their areas of interest and can choose the thesis option and carry out independent research as well. To obtain this Experimental Psychology master's degree in experimental psychology, students must complete either 36 credits or 30 credits and a thesis (33 credits). Tuition Fee: $805 per credit hour

#24 – Palo Alto University

Online Master’s in Psychology

Website Palo Alto University's two-year master's degree program in psychology can improve students' career opportunities or serve as preparation for the school's Ph.D. program in clinical psychology. Students take two to three courses each quarter, and the program requires 44 quarter-units of coursework as a whole, as well as a one-week residency. Students attend part-time, enabling them to continue working or pursuing other academic endeavors during the program. Palo Alto often admits students from the master's degree program to its on-campus Ph.D. program in clinical psychology. The master's degree program serves as proof that students can handle graduate-level coursework, and students who take this route to the Ph.D. save money on tuition in the long run. Despite serving as a direct pipeline to the Ph.D. in clinical psychology, not all coursework in this program focuses on clinical psychology work. It also lacks an applied clinical component, so those interested in gaining that experience should consider the Ph.D. program as a follow-up. Tuition Fee: $985 per credit hour

#23 – Fort Hays State University

Online Master’s in Experimental Psychology

Website Fort Hays State University offers a master's degree in experimental psychology, which can help students move on to more specialized positions. These include both academic research positions that ultimately require a Ph.D. as well as work with private organizations and non-profit organizations. This program cultivates the research and experimentation skills necessary to succeed in just about any research-centric psychology position. All participating students take at least 33 credit hours of graduate coursework, covering psychology paradigms like neuropsychology and cognitive psychology as well as research methods, such as inferential statistics and experiment design. To familiarize students with the work they will do for a doctoral degree or in private organizations, the Fort Hays program includes a service to the discipline requirement. Over the course of the program, students present at state and regional conferences, review for a journal with a mentor, and attend teaching workshops. Tuition Fee: $400 per credit hour

#22 – LeTourneau University

Online Master’s in Psychology

Website LeTourneau University’s Master of Arts in Psychology online degree program combines a liberal arts philosophy with professional development and independent research. It will prepare you to hone your advanced research skills and find the focus that inspires you.
  • Participate in a practicum experience where you will gain extensive face-to-face experience in counseling settings
  • Choose 14 credit hours of graduate level electives in business, leadership, education, religion or additional hours of psychology to meet your career goals
LeTourneau, which uses Blackboard to conduct online learning, provides a helpful list of the five habits of highly successful distance learners to help ensure students thrive in this educational arena. The tuition rate is affordable and applies to all distance learners. Students also benefit from financial assistance and the opportunity to transfer up to nine approved graduate credits. Tuition Fee: $615 per credit hour

#21 – Xavier University

Online Master’s in General Experimental Psychology

Website Xavier University's General Experimental, or Research Psychology explores, develops and tests methods to study behavior and mental processes. The General Experimental Psychology program at Xavier is a very small program that supports the work of individual students with particular faculty with whom they share a research interest. Graduates of the program frequently apply to Ph.D. programs at other Universities. The general experimental concentration in Xavier's master's degree program in experimental psychology embraces a 45-credit hour requirement extending over two full-time academic years. The 6 credit hour required research internship involves the design, implementation, analysis, and report of an empirical study over the course of a semester. To accomplish the latter, students participate in a research team under the supervision of the course professor. The student receives a final grade for the internship. There is also a required thesis component, that carries 6 credit hours. Tuition Fee: $680 per credit hour

#20 – Sacred Heart University

Online Master’s in Applied Psychology

Website Offering the perfect blend of behavioral and workplace psychology, Sacred Heart’s online master's degree in Applied Psychology helps you use resources to research behavioral issues and find solutions through cutting-edge psychological theory. The online courses consist of a research-driven core curriculum built on a scientist-practitioner model, covering fundamental psychological concepts. Choose from three concentrations: Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Community Psychology or General Applied Psychology. You will complete 12 courses totaling 38 credit hours and will be able to complete the degree in about 2 years. The entire program consists of 6 foundational courses, 4 concentration courses, and 2 capstone courses. Sample Courses: Applied Research Methods, Statistics, Program Development and Evaluation, Psychological Assessment and Appraisal, Organizational Behavior and Counseling Techniques. Students in SHU’s psychology master’s degree online program can rest assured that they’re receiving the same quality education as students on campus. All distance education courses are taught by the same professors leading traditional classrooms, 80% of whom hold the highest degrees in their field. Tuition Fee: $880 per credit hour

#19 – National Louis University

Online Master’s in Psychology

Website Master of Arts in Psychology can be completed fully online or through a blend of online and on-campus courses from National Louis University. This university prepares students for careers in unique specializations of teaching and business. Learners can specialize in community psychology, the teaching of psychology, or general psychology. Graduates qualify to teach psychology in a community college or at the undergraduate level or go on to pursue a doctorate degree. Core concepts within the psychology master's program online include research methods, social psychology, human development, and personality theories. The curriculum comprises gateway courses, core courses, and electives, exploring advanced developmental cognitive psychology, advanced abnormal psychology, research design for psychology, and advanced personality theory. Students must complete 36 credits in order to graduate. Concentration options include biological bases of behavior, advanced leadership, and organizational change, urban politics and the community, and instructional design and assessment in higher education. Students conclude the degree with a comprehensive examination seminar or thesis. Tuition Fee: $744 per credit hour

#18 – Southern New Hampshire University

Online Master’s in Psychology

Website Southern New Hampshire University's Master of Science in Psychology program best serves those who want to perform psychology research for large organizations. This program equips students with the research methods and standards for ethical practice necessary to work in the real world. It also looks at multiple paradigms within psychology, including social psychology, cognitive psychology, and learning theory, among others. The Southern New Hampshire program includes three concentrations, allowing students to tailor their degrees to their career goals. In the child and adolescent development program, participants learn about the intervention strategies that work best for youths and their families. The forensic psychology program, meanwhile, gives students a background in law and criminal justice they can use to support investigations and courtroom proceedings. The final option, industrial organizational psychology, builds skills in leadership, motivation, and consulting, all from a psychology perspective. Tuition Fee: $627 per credit hour

#17 – Medaille College

Online Master’s in Psychology

Website The online Master of Arts in Psychology from Medaille College is designed to provide students with a firm grounding in advanced psychological principles and leadership skills, which prepares them for careers as human resource managers, public relations representatives, psychiatric technicians, and more. The program is taught asynchronously, and students may take anywhere between one to four courses every term, with each course lasting seven weeks. Online learners usually earn their degree in two years, but the school does offer an accelerated format, which enables students to graduate in one. The curriculum is 36 credit hours, with required courses in topics like developmental psychology, psychopathologies, and the biological basis for behavior. Students also have the option to pursue a concentration in sports psychology, taking advanced coursework related to athletic health and management. Students must also complete either an internship experience or thesis project as part of their capstone requirement. In consultation with a faculty adviser, learners may choose to intern with an organization in their local community. They can also plan, conduct, and present a thesis. Tuition Fee: $918 per credit hour

#16 – University of West Alabama

Online Master’s in Experimental Psychology

Website At University of West Alabama, students can receive an education in experimental psychology that both enhances their research and quantitative skills and their understanding of psychology. Students from this program can go on to careers in medical research, health psychology, and behavioral sciences, or consider higher academic positions. This program includes three tracks. Two of these tracks, general psychology and health and sports psychology, require students to complete 36 credit hours of coursework. The third, the clinical psychology program, can require up to 57 credit hours instead. While it does include a practicum and internship component, this program lacks CACREP accreditation and will usually not satisfy licensure requirements. Regardless of concentration, all students complete a master's thesis. The thesis element of the program makes up at least six credit hours of study, and includes both preliminary research and the creation of the final product. Tuition Fee: $429 per credit hour

#15 – University of Louisiana-Monroe

Online Master’s in Psychology - Psychometric Concentration

Website The University of Louisiana at Monroe offers an online master’s in psychology, which is a generalized degree. However, they offer a specialized Psychometric Track that may be of interest to you. All courses are taught online by university professors who routinely teach at the Monroe campus, and you require 30-36 credits of complete this degree. The Master of Science in Psychology requires the following program requirements of all students:
  • Quantitative Methods in the Behavioral Sciences
  • Research Methods
  • Neuropsychology
Online courses include Intelligence Testing, Psychological Assessment, Individual Tests, Theory of Learning, and Behavior Modification. The thesis option is not required; however, students planning to pursue a Ph.D. are encouraged to complete a thesis. Tuition Fee: $500 per credit hour

#14 – Angelo State University

Online Master’s in Applied Psychology

Website The Angelo State University Master of Science in Applied Psychology equips students with the skills necessary to address real-world problems using their understanding of human behavior. It encourages them to consider how their skills could be used to solve problems like health, education quality, and safety. Students can choose to complete a thesis or take additional coursework in this program, which consists of 36 total semester credit hours. The thesis option counts for six credits' worth of coursework, in two three credit chunks. Students who instead need a deeper background in specific psychology approaches can instead take more of the school's 6000-level psychology courses, or additional supporting courses as relevant to their academic and professional goals. Students need not have a background in psychology to participate in this program. Those with fewer than 18 credits' worth of psychology courses from their undergraduate degrees can complete a graduate leveling course that provides this background. Tuition Fee: $515 per credit hour

#13 – Capella University

Online Master’s in Psychology - Evaluation, Research and Measurement Specialization

Website In Capella University's online master's in Psychology - Evaluation, Research, and Measurement specialization program, you’ll explore the use of valid and reliable assessment tools used to improve performance evaluation and management models. Whether your focus is program evaluation, research, or data collection and analysis, this program can help prepare you to help individuals and organizations with planning, decision-making, and program development and evaluation skills. This program has 4 core courses and 6 specialization courses. Outcomes:
  • Apply ethical principles and standards of psychology to academic and professional activities.
  • Apply theoretical and research findings from the discipline of psychology to professional and academic activities.
  • Communicate psychological concepts effectively using the professional standards of the discipline.
  • Determine the scientific merit of professional literature.
Tuition Fee: $485 per credit hour

#12 – Adler University

Online Master’s in Applied Psychology

Website Adler University offers a Master of Arts in Applied Psychology program which gives students the tools necessary to perform novel research in their fields and solve modern problems. This program requires students to complete 35 credit hours of coursework, including a capstone or thesis project. Most students complete the program in about two years. Students in the Adler program can choose one of four concentrations in addition to the general psychology program. Areas of emphasis include gender and sexuality, crisis management, child and adolescent development, and health and wellness. These concentrations help those who might want to work with specific populations, such as LGBT individuals or children, during their careers. Regardless of specialization, all applied psychology students take eight core courses. These courses cover history and research methods, but also cover issues of ethics and justice, looking at the obligations psychology practitioners have to those affected by their work and how psychology intersects with diverse populations. Tuition Fee: $855 per credit hour

#11 – Nova Southeastern University

Online Master’s in Experimental Psychology

Website The Master of Science in Experimental Psychology at Nova Southeastern University's College of Psychology provides students with a strong academic foundation in the theories and concepts of experimental psychology. Students are equipped with comprehensive skills in scientific inquiry and research methodology. These skills may prepare students for admission into a doctoral program in psychology or for career opportunities that include teaching and research in industrial, government, private consulting, health care, and community settings. A mix of core courses, required methodology courses, and electives will ensure your education is thorough. You will be studying courses like Research Methods, Quantitative Methods I & II, Comparative Psychology, Interpersonal Perception, and Applied Behavior Analysis, as well as Grant Writing and Getting Published. Tuition Fee: $755 per credit hour

#10 – Ohio State University

Online Master’s in Quantitative Psychology

Website Ohio State University offers students with an interest in mathematical assessment of psychological phenomena a graduate degree in quantitative psychology. This field offers a unique paradigm for thinking about psychological questions in addition to its specific research methods. This master's program can also lead to a Ph.D. program, with the master's program lasting about two years and the Ph.D. lasting an additional two to three years. This program heavily emphasizes research. Students work with their faculty advisors on shared research interests. Many students also choose to pursue additional research alongside other faculty members and students, and use these experiences and connections to build their independent research work. Students in this program can choose from two concentrations to further narrow their interests within quantitative psychology. Students in the psychometric methods courses learn different modeling methods and approaches from those in the mathematical psychology concentration. Students in both concentrations can take additional courses to participate in interdisciplinary study. Tuition Fee: $722.50

#9 – University of Idaho

Online Master’s in Applied Psychology - Human Factors

Website University of Idaho's Master's in Psychology - Human Factors deals with a large range of applied topics — like product design, human performance, and human error, human-machine and human-computer interaction, interface design, safety and ergonomics. Though this degree's 30+ credits, you will learn to analyze, understand and enhance how people interact with technology, products, computers, equipment, facilities and other environments. And finally, you can apply this knowledge to help businesses, government and others improve performance, efficiency, safety, training and more. The Human Factors Program at the University of Idaho has a number of on-campus laboratory facilities in which students conduct state-of-the-art research projects. Along with that, you'll get to choose from classes like Engineering Psychology, Ergonomics & Biomechanics, Advanced Research Methods and Human-Computer Interaction. Students who pursue the Human Factors degree on campus have historically been provided part-time assistantships that offset some portion of living expenses, tuition and fees. There are also scholarships you can apply for! Tuition Fee: $520 per credit hour

#8 – Arizona State University - Tempe

Online Master’s in Psychology

Website ASU offers a fully online master of science in psychology for students interested in pursuing a career in nonprofit, marketing, or mental health psychology specializations. Ideal candidates possess strong writing skills, statistical knowledge, and self-motivation. This psychology master's program online does not lead to clinical practice license. Core courses focus on research methods, common issues within the field, and statistics. Optional electives allow students to pursue individual psychological interests, including health, cognitive, legal, and abnormal psychology. Students must complete 33 credits to graduate, including nine core credits, six credits in research, and 12-18 elective credits. Students conclude the degree with a written comprehensive exam, and may also complete an optional applied project. Pro Tip - Out-of-state students and Arizona residents pay the same tuition! Tuition Fee: $686 per credit hour

#7 – Ball State University

Online Master’s in Quantitative Psychology

Website In a world where assessment, measurement, and the ability to accurately analyze all this big data is critical, quantitative methods are at the heart of all aspects of psychology, education, business, and the social sciences. In this program, you will study methods and techniques for the measurement of human attributes, the statistical and mathematical modeling of psychological processes, the design of research studies, and the analysis of psychological data. This program will provide you with basic and advanced statistical knowledge and skills, plus the proficiency to analyze and apply data in a variety of social science-related data situations that are necessary for many public and private sector jobs in education and industry, as well as for pursuing a doctoral degree. This degree can be completed fully online, or in a blended format. Students are required to take a total of 33 credits to graduate, and there's thesis option (1-6 credits) available. Your courses will be a mix of core courses worth 21 credits and concentration courses worth 6 credits. Tuition Fee: $616 per credit hours + $168 Technology Fee

#6 - Removed by Editor

#5 – The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Online Master’s in Behavior Economics

Website The Chicago School of Professional Psychology offers several degrees in the field. One of the most novel, however, is its master's degree in behavioral economics, which focuses on the applications of psychology in business. Students learn about decision-making, negotiation, consumer behavior, and marketing from a psychology perspective during this two to four year program. The program also covers topics that will help students succeed in the business world, such as consulting and public policy. This program heavily emphasizes field work in behavioral economics and scholarly work. Near the end of the program, students must complete at least 30 hours of field research and submit a journal article regarding their findings. This segment of the program consists of two back-to-back sections, with the first focusing on research idea development and literature review while the second includes the actual research and submission. Tuition Fee: $1,127 per credit hour

#4 – The University of Georgia

Online Master’s in Psychology and Applied Cognition

Website The University of Georgia's degree program is specifically tailored to online learners who seek to better understand cognitive, developmental, and motivational processes. UGA designed this online psychology master’s degree to provide maximum flexibility for learners. Students can complete the degree in six semesters. Students must complete 34 credit hours to obtain the degree and learners may count up to nine transfer credits from accredited institutions to that total. This online program runs on a cohort model, with students moving through their coursework in groups of 10. This allows them to get to know one another and complete projects together. Learners may also choose from four different areas of focus, including learning with technology, learning across the lifespan, qualitative approaches to education, and development of high intellectual capability. The area students choose informs the electives students take during the second year of the program. Sample courses include - Applied Statistical Methods, Action Research, Multicultural Perspectives in Technology, Qualitative Research Tradition, Designing Qualitative Research and Analyzing Qualitative Data Tuition Fee: $629 per credit hour

#3 – University of Southern California

Online Master’s in Applied Psychology

Website The master's degree in Applied Psychology from USC emphasizes a strong foundation in psychological practice, research, and theory, within business settings. The degree offers concentrations in consumer psychology and organizational psychology, both focused on workplace management and marketing within the global marketplace. The program favors students with a bachelor's degree in psychology, sociology, marketing/communications, sociology, or business administration. USC boasts a psychology department known for groundbreaking research and innovative graduate programs in social psychology, clinical science, quantitative methods, developmental psychology, and brain and cognitive science. The private research university houses on-campus state-of-the-art research centers and training facilities, including the community-serving USC Psychology Services Center. On average, students complete the online psychology master's in 16 months when enrolled in two courses per term. Learners may complete the program almost entirely online, except for practicum and internship requirements. This program requires a total of 34 credit hours. Tuition Fee: $1,800 per credit hour

#2 – University of Pennsylvania

Online Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology

Website The University of Pennsylvania offers a Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) for students interested in the advanced study of how individuals, organizations, and communities thrive. This course can be completed in 1 year and required 9 courses. The MAPP program focuses on the history, theory, and research methods within the field. Students can engage in a full-time course of study without interrupting their professional obligations through 10 intensive on-campus sessions, completed during 1-2 weekends per month. Students complete nine classes over the course of one year, including summer sessions. A capstone project allows students to apply what they have learned to a specific area of study within the field, or within their own professional discipline. Courses include an introduction to positive psychology, perspectives on well-being, positive interventions, research methods, positive education, positive psychology and individuals, applying positive interventions in institutions, and humanities and human flourishing. Tuition Fee: $25,976 per term (fall and spring) | $6,494 per term (summer)

#1 – Harvard University-Extension School

Online Master’s in Psychology

Website Harvard University has a reputation for academic and research excellence, and its master's degree in psychology shares in that reputation and quality. While most of the courses required for this degree can be completed online, students will need to complete at least three courses out of the 12 on campus. Coursework covers topics like social science research, human behavior, and specific methods for both research and research design. In addition to the common coursework in the program, students must choose whether to complete a master's thesis or capstone. In the thesis track, students work one-on-one with a thesis director, conducting in-depth research related to their professional or academic interests. The capstone track, meanwhile, sees students work with both an instructor and fellow master's degree candidates, working on a project that uses their grasp of psychology theory to create real-world results. Students also write a paper that adds context to the final product and builds their skill in writing journal-quality papers. Tuition Fee: $2,750 per unit course

Rating and Ranking Methodology

Tuition Points:
  • Under $35,000—1 points
  • Under $30,000—2 points
  • Under $25,000—3 points
  • Under $20,000—4 points
  • Under $15,000—5 points
  • Under $10,000—6 points
  • Under $5,000—7 points
US News and World Report Recognition as a Top Online School for Master’s in Engineering Programs
  • Top 5— 5 points
  • Top 10— 4 points
  • Top 25 —3 points
  • Top 50 —2 points
  • Top 75 —1 point

Customization Options

  • Format Customizations (e.g. Hybrid/Online, Full-time/Part-Time, Accelerated, Degree Completion, etc.)—1 Point Per Customization Option
  • Content Customizations (e.g. Minors, Concentrations, Specializations, etc.)—1 Point Per Customization Option (5-point cap)

Wow Factor

  • 1 point awarded for each unique feature or program that “wowed” us
Our editor started with a list of 35 colleges and then used our customized ranking methodology to shortlist the TOP 25. We were able to narrow these initial findings by applying a few factors such as affordability (average net price is capped at $35,000), program customization, return-on-investment, and career prospects. Finally, we used information from U.S. News & World Report as well as from each school’s website to apply the rating and ranking methodology above. In the event of a tie in points, the school with the lower tuition receives the higher ranking.

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