Best Colleges for Psychology 2026
20 schools ranked by graduate earnings — real data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior, cognition, and emotion. Undergraduates explore core areas including cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, abnormal behavior, neuroscience, and research methods. The major builds strong analytical and communication skills that transfer broadly across industries, and it is one of the most popular undergraduate majors in the United States.
Career paths are diverse. Many psychology graduates enter human resources, marketing research, social services, education, and healthcare administration directly after graduation, typically earning $40,000–$60,000 starting. The field's highest-earning roles — licensed clinical psychologist ($90,000–$130,000), neuropsychologist, or industrial-organizational (I-O) psychologist — require graduate degrees. I-O psychology in particular is one of the fastest-growing and best-compensated graduate specializations, with median salaries above $100,000.
When evaluating psychology programs, look for APA accreditation for any clinical programs, strong undergraduate research opportunities (working with faculty on published studies is a significant advantage for graduate admissions), and clear pathways to graduate school preparation. Internship and practicum placements with clinical or organizational partners add valuable applied experience. Since many psychology careers require graduate study, programs with strong graduate school placement rates and GRE preparation resources are an important differentiator.
Earnings shown are median graduate earnings 4 years after graduation (or 1 year if 4-year data is unavailable), sourced from the College Scorecard.See full major data
Top 20 Psychology Programs by Graduate Earnings
| # | School | Earnings | Tuition | Accept Rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University Durham, NC | $72,857 | $65,805 | 7% | 6,417 |
| 2 | Middlebury College Middlebury, VT | $67,306 | $65,280 | 10% | 2,785 |
| 3 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY | $64,146 | $66,014 | 8% | 15,935 |
| 4 | Georgetown University Washington, DC | $63,369 | $65,081 | 13% | 7,462 |
| 5 | Dickinson College Carlisle, PA | $62,695 | $63,475 | 43% | 2,157 |
| 6 | Bentley University Waltham, MA | $62,2181yr | $58,150 | 48% | 4,288 |
| 7 | Fairfield University Fairfield, CT | $61,555 | $56,360 | 45% | 4,938 |
| 8 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | $61,389 | $65,997 | 7% | 8,960 |
| 9 | Lafayette College Easton, PA | $60,657 | $62,574 | 31% | 2,746 |
| 10 | Virginia Military Institute Lexington, VA | $60,540 | $51,186 | 82% | 1,560 |
| 11 | University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA | $60,347 | $58,014 | 17% | 17,315 |
| 12 | Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA | $60,072 | $62,180 | 29% | 5,803 |
| 13 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC | $59,767 | $64,758 | 22% | 5,471 |
| 14 | Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA | $59,196 | $67,680 | 16% | 9,865 |
| 15 | Providence College Providence, RI | $58,954 | $60,848 | 49% | 4,170 |
| 16 | Fordham University Bronx, NY | $58,590 | $61,992 | 56% | 10,239 |
| 17 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA | $58,545 | $59,241 | 44% | 6,235 |
| 18 | Binghamton University Vestal, NY | $58,122 | $29,453 | 38% | 14,401 |
| 19 | University of the Pacific Stockton, CA | $57,652 | $55,340 | 95% | 3,247 |
| 20 | Villanova University Villanova, PA | $57,566 | $64,701 | 25% | 7,005 |
Explore All Psychology Programs
See earnings data for all 926 schools offering Psychology, including debt figures and graduate counts.
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Compare SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
What should I look for in a Psychology program?
Look for programs with strong undergraduate research opportunities — working as a research assistant on faculty studies strengthens graduate school applications significantly. APA-accredited clinical training pathways matter if you plan to pursue licensure. Internship and practicum placements in clinical, I-O, or school psychology settings provide applied experience that many employers and graduate programs value.
What careers can I pursue with a Psychology degree?
With a bachelor's degree, psychology graduates work in human resources, social services, case management, market research, education, and healthcare administration. Advanced degrees open careers as licensed clinical psychologists, counselors, school psychologists, neuropsychologists, forensic psychologists, and industrial-organizational psychologists. Many graduates also pursue law, business, or medicine.
How much do Psychology graduates earn?
Bachelor's-level psychology graduates earn a median of around $45,000–$55,000, depending on the specific role. Graduate-level practitioners earn considerably more: licensed clinical psychologists average $85,000–$110,000, while I-O psychologists median around $105,000. The earnings data on this page reflects actual graduate outcomes at the bachelor's level from the College Scorecard.