Also called: Child Development Researcher
Studies how children's brains, emotions, and social skills grow, often at a university lab.
Runs an experiment where babies watch puppets to test what they understand about fairness, then analyzes eye-tracking data. Writes a grant proposal and teaches an undergrad class.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Doctorate (PhD), about 10 years after high school. Bachelor's in psychology then a 5-6 year PhD in developmental psychology.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Psychology, Child Development, Neuroscience.
Growing faster than average (about 6% over 10 years).
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI speeds eye-tracking and video analysis, trimming junior lab roles; designing studies with babies stays human.
Classes: AP Psychology, AP Statistics, Biology.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-3039.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.