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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #21 | Moraga, CA | $59,351 Median Psychology Earnings | $19,462 | 86.5% | 70.3% | |
| #22 | Thousand Oaks, CA | $59,153 Median Psychology Earnings | $22,161 | 75.7% | 69.6% | |
| #23 | Seattle Pacific UniversityPrivate | Seattle, WA | $58,749 Median Psychology Earnings | $20,735 | 83.4% | 62.0% |
| #24 | Hawaii Pacific UniversityPrivate | Honolulu, HI | $58,721 Median Psychology Earnings | $25,758 | 85.9% | 34.9% |
| #25 | Whittier CollegePrivate | Whittier, CA | $58,397 Median Psychology Earnings | $21,718 | 80.8% | 60.0% |
| #26 | Seattle UniversityPrivate | Seattle, WA | $57,993 Median Psychology Earnings | $22,896 | 76.9% | 75.5% |
| #27 | Heritage UniversityPrivate | Toppenish, WA | $57,815 Median Psychology Earnings | $15,114 | — | 53.7% |
| #28 | Seattle, WA | $57,718 Median Psychology Earnings | $6,384 | 39.1% | 85.2% | |
| #29 | Oregon State UniversityPublic | Corvallis, OR | $57,650 Median Psychology Earnings | $12,107 | 77.3% | 70.1% |
| #30 | Bend, OR | $57,650 Median Psychology Earnings | $11,497 | 63.1% | 55.6% | |
| #31 | Davis, CA | $57,378 Median Psychology Earnings | $9,211 | 41.8% | 85.7% | |
| #32 | Sonoma State UniversityPublic | Rohnert Park, CA | $57,335 Median Psychology Earnings | $8,310 | 93.4% | 57.6% |
| #33 | University Of La VernePrivate | La Verne, CA | $56,925 Median Psychology Earnings | $20,151 | 71.2% | 63.1% |
| #34 | Simpson UniversityPrivate | Redding, CA | $56,902 Median Psychology Earnings | $25,511 | 86.0% | 48.8% |
| #35 | Boulder, CO | $56,867 Median Psychology Earnings | $14,231 | 78.1% | 74.2% | |
| #36 | Pullman, WA | $56,681 Median Psychology Earnings | $7,074 | 86.6% | 60.5% | |
| #37 | University Of DenverPrivate | Denver, CO | $56,161 Median Psychology Earnings | $20,097 | 77.8% | 75.6% |
| #38 | San Francisco, CA | $55,902 Median Psychology Earnings | $9,341 | 96.4% | 50.4% | |
| #39 | University Of RedlandsPrivate | Redlands, CA | $55,739 Median Psychology Earnings | $28,287 | 82.7% | 67.3% |
| #40 | Weber State UniversityPublic | Ogden, UT | $55,417 Median Psychology Earnings | $7,796 | — | 46.2% |
