Psychology programs in the West produce graduates with career earnings ranging from $28,720 to $109,183—demonstrating significant variation in program outcomes. Across 137 programs, graduates earn a median of $62,740, which is $6,923 higher than the national average, indicating strong regional employment markets in behavioral sciences and social sciences fields.
Leading the rankings is Santa Clara University, achieving the highest program earnings at $58,545 for psychology degree graduates. University of The Pacific follows closely with $57,652 earnings, while San Jose State University rounds out the top tier at $55,532. These top-performing programs demonstrate how program selection within public universities and private colleges directly impacts median earnings and long-term career outcomes.
| Rank | School | Location | Earnings | Net Price | Acceptance Rate | Grad Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Prescott, AZ | $82,023 Median Psychology Earnings | $39,171 | 76.6% | 67.8% | |
| #2 | Santa Clara UniversityPrivate | Santa Clara, CA | $75,742 Median Psychology Earnings | $22,985 | 48.0% | 87.9% |
| #3 | University Of San DiegoPrivate | San Diego, CA | $74,178 Median Psychology Earnings | $15,586 | 52.4% | 83.7% |
| #4 | Los Angeles, CA | $70,461 Median Psychology Earnings | $13,516 | 9.8% | 91.8% | |
| #5 | Santa Barbara, CA | $66,171 Median Psychology Earnings | $9,231 | 33.0% | 83.0% | |
| #6 | University Of San FranciscoPrivate | San Francisco, CA | $65,071 Median Psychology Earnings | $31,537 | 61.7% | 70.1% |
| #7 | Berkeley, CA | $64,904 Median Psychology Earnings | $5,311 | 11.0% | 92.8% | |
| #8 | Azusa Pacific UniversityPrivate | Azusa, CA | $63,963 Median Psychology Earnings | $15,781 | 88.4% | 61.8% |
| #9 | Chapman UniversityPrivate | Orange, CA | $63,617 Median Psychology Earnings | $33,559 | 65.4% | 81.9% |
| #10 | Pacific UniversityPrivate | Forest Grove, OR | $62,484 Median Psychology Earnings | $23,318 | 89.6% | 67.0% |
| #11 | Brigham Young UniversityPrivate | Provo, UT | $62,106 Median Psychology Earnings | $10,444 | 67.8% | 81.0% |
| #12 | University Of Puget SoundPrivate | Tacoma, WA | $61,919 Median Psychology Earnings | $23,643 | 72.3% | 68.0% |
| #13 | Gonzaga UniversityPrivate | Spokane, WA | $61,533 Median Psychology Earnings | $20,833 | 81.7% | 86.3% |
| #14 | Pepperdine UniversityPrivate | Malibu, CA | $61,353 Median Psychology Earnings | $50,560 | 62.9% | 83.4% |
| #15 | San Rafael, CA | $61,339 Median Psychology Earnings | $24,572 | 83.5% | 78.0% | |
| #16 | Riverside, CA | $61,103 Median Psychology Earnings | $22,298 | 84.9% | 61.9% | |
| #17 | Los Angeles, CA | $61,081 Median Psychology Earnings | $5,579 | 9.0% | 92.6% | |
| #18 | Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivate | Los Angeles, CA | $60,958 Median Psychology Earnings | $32,268 | 45.1% | 78.9% |
| #19 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $60,466 Median Psychology Earnings | $7,529 | 31.3% | 86.4% | |
| #20 | Santa Cruz, CA | $59,948 Median Psychology Earnings | $8,717 | 65.8% | 75.1% |
