Psychology Major
Clinical, cognitive, developmental, industrial-organizational, social. A bachelor's alone in psychology often leads to non-psych jobs (HR, marketing, sales). To practice as a psychologist or therapist requires a master's or doctorate.
Typical Earnings
$45,000 starting / $70,000 mid-career
Top Schools Below
50 ranked by program focus
Realistic career paths
Therapist (with grad degree)Clinical Psychologist (doctorate)HR SpecialistMarket ResearcherSocial Worker (with MSW)
Top schools for psychology
Ranked by what share of degrees the school awards in this field. A high % means the school is genuinely focused on this major, not just listing it as a program.
| School | Location | % in Psychology | Net Price | 10-yr Earnings | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Christian University Private | Lakewood, CO | 26% | $29,500 | $44,600 | — |
| Stillman College Private | Tuscaloosa, AL | 21% | $15,258 | $33,700 | 62% |
| Tiffin University Private | Tiffin, OH | 21% | $26,500 | $47,900 | 80% |
| Hope International University Private | Fullerton, CA | 20% | $29,310 | $40,700 | 33% |
| Lewis & Clark College Private | Portland, OR | 19% | $36,013 | $55,000 | 78% |
| CUNY Hunter College Public | New York, NY | 18% | $2,984 | $51,800 | 54% |
| Menlo College Private | Atherton, CA | 18% | $31,100 | $59,700 | 68% |
| Regent University Private | Virginia Beach, VA | 17% | $19,923 | $45,600 | 38% |
| Corban University Private | Salem, OR | 17% | $28,035 | $40,200 | 94% |
| Florida Memorial University Private | Miami Gardens, FL | 16% | $23,238 | $29,600 | 85% |
| California State University-Dominguez Hills Public | Carson, CA | 15% | $8,615 | $48,500 | 93% |
| Vanguard University of Southern California Private | Costa Mesa, CA | 15% | $21,241 | $48,800 | 62% |
| Bushnell University Private | Eugene, OR | 15% | $20,789 | $45,700 | 67% |
| Bethune-Cookman University Private | Daytona Beach, FL | 14% | $12,030 | $32,300 | 88% |
| Saint Leo University Private | Saint Leo, FL | 14% | $21,293 | $50,500 | 78% |
| Western Oregon University Public | Monmouth, OR | 14% | $17,237 | $43,400 | 98% |
| Northeastern State University Public | Tahlequah, OK | 14% | $12,710 | $41,000 | 100% |
| Wesleyan University Private | Middletown, CT | 13% | $30,177 | $63,400 | 16% |
| Arizona Christian University Private | Glendale, AZ | 13% | $32,839 | $34,900 | 71% |
| Florida International University Public | Miami, FL | 13% | $9,288 | $52,000 | 55% |
| Southern Oregon University Public | Ashland, OR | 13% | $16,732 | $43,400 | 89% |
| California Lutheran University Private | Thousand Oaks, CA | 13% | $30,109 | $60,200 | 76% |
| California State University-Northridge Public | Northridge, CA | 13% | $7,021 | $49,700 | 93% |
| California State University-Fresno Public | Fresno, CA | 12% | $7,000 | $48,500 | 95% |
| Montclair State University Public | Montclair, NJ | 12% | $15,566 | $52,400 | 88% |
| Biola University Private | La Mirada, CA | 12% | $31,495 | $50,700 | 74% |
| Lake Forest College Private | Lake Forest, IL | 12% | $27,499 | $55,600 | 59% |
| Connecticut College Private | New London, CT | 12% | $36,175 | $62,900 | 37% |
| Mount Saint Mary's University Private | Los Angeles, CA | 12% | $21,413 | $63,500 | 73% |
| Rowan University Public | Glassboro, NJ | 12% | $22,408 | $55,400 | 78% |
| University of New Mexico-Main Campus Public | Albuquerque, NM | 12% | $15,489 | $43,900 | 95% |
| University of La Verne Private | La Verne, CA | 12% | $20,161 | $52,700 | 71% |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill Public | Schuylkill Haven, PA | 12% | $19,659 | $57,200 | 97% |
| Albertus Magnus College Private | New Haven, CT | 12% | $34,028 | $56,000 | 59% |
| Hendrix College Private | Conway, AR | 12% | $24,149 | $44,500 | 56% |
| Scripps College Private | Claremont, CA | 12% | $36,294 | $61,800 | 38% |
| University of California-Los Angeles Public | Los Angeles, CA | 12% | $12,548 | $73,200 | 9% |
| University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Public | Chickasha, OK | 11% | $6,624 | $36,400 | 66% |
| Trevecca Nazarene University Private | Nashville, TN | 11% | $14,459 | $49,000 | 70% |
| Merced College Public | Merced, CA | 11% | $5,040 | $31,100 | — |
| University of Northern Colorado Public | Greeley, CO | 11% | $17,760 | $47,100 | 86% |
| Virginia State University Public | Petersburg, VA | 11% | $15,840 | $38,400 | 89% |
| Philander Smith University Private | Little Rock, AR | 11% | $14,224 | $27,300 | — |
| University of Massachusetts-Boston Public | Boston, MA | 11% | $17,707 | $53,700 | 84% |
| Eastern Connecticut State University Public | Willimantic, CT | 11% | $21,067 | $49,000 | 83% |
| Portland State University Public | Portland, OR | 11% | $9,552 | $50,800 | 91% |
| Charter Oak State College Public | New Britain, CT | 11% | $15,815 | $43,700 | — |
| University of California-Riverside Public | Riverside, CA | 11% | $14,304 | $55,300 | 76% |
| University of Central Florida Public | Orlando, FL | 11% | $10,411 | $51,200 | 40% |
| University of California-Davis Public | Davis, CA | 11% | $14,741 | $68,100 | 42% |
What this ranking is and isn't
What it is: A list of schools where psychology is actually a focus area, ranked by what % of degrees fall in this field. If you want to be surrounded by people studying the same thing, this list is what you want.
What it isn't: A prestige ranking. MIT might have an outstanding psychology program but rank low here if the school awards more degrees in other fields. For program quality alone, look at faculty research output, employer recruiting, and graduate outcomes — not the share of degrees.