Psychology programs produce graduates with career earnings ranging from $17,624 to $76,453. Across 925 programs, the variation in outcomes demonstrates why program selection matters significantly for career trajectories in behavioral sciences. Psychology degree holders in this ranking earn $41,681 on average—$2,969 higher than national averages for the major.
Leading the list is Harvard University, achieving the highest program earnings at $76,453. University Of Notre Dame follows with $66,756, while Cornell University rounds out the top three at $64,146. These top-performing programs demonstrate strong graduate outcomes in social sciences that justify their positioning, with median earnings substantially above the national psychology degree benchmark.
| Rank | School | Location | Earnings | Net Price | Acceptance Rate | Grad Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Dartmouth CollegePrivate | Hanover, NH | $99,344 Median Psychology Earnings | $41 | 5.4% | 95.5% |
| #2 | Georgetown UniversityPrivate | Washington, DC | $99,007 Median Psychology Earnings | $5,064 | 12.9% | 94.8% |
| #3 | New York, NY | $86,946 Median Psychology Earnings | $4,570 | 4.0% | 96.1% | |
| #4 | Atlanta, GA | $83,012 Median Psychology Earnings | $7,666 | 14.1% | 94.0% | |
| #5 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityPrivate | Pittsburgh, PA | $82,433 Median Psychology Earnings | $9,097 | 11.7% | 94.1% |
| #6 | Prescott, AZ | $82,023 Median Psychology Earnings | $39,171 | 76.6% | 67.8% | |
| #7 | Cornell UniversityPrivate | Ithaca, NY | $78,049 Median Psychology Earnings | $1,776 | 8.8% | 95.4% |
| #8 | St. Louis, MO | $75,932 Median Psychology Earnings | $1,716 | 12.1% | 94.3% | |
| #9 | Santa Clara UniversityPrivate | Santa Clara, CA | $75,742 Median Psychology Earnings | $22,985 | 48.0% | 87.9% |
| #10 | Lexington, VA | $75,059 Median Psychology Earnings | $12,697 | 71.3% | 76.2% | |
| #11 | Lehigh UniversityPrivate | Bethlehem, PA | $74,939 Median Psychology Earnings | $16,917 | 25.9% | 87.9% |
| #12 | University Of San DiegoPrivate | San Diego, CA | $74,178 Median Psychology Earnings | $15,586 | 52.4% | 83.7% |
| #13 | College Of The Holy CrossPrivate | Worcester, MA | $74,095 Median Psychology Earnings | $14,343 | 17.6% | 87.3% |
| #14 | George Washington UniversityPrivate | Washington, DC | $73,823 Median Psychology Earnings | $17,440 | 47.1% | 84.0% |
| #15 | Boston CollegePrivate | Chestnut Hill, MA | $73,453 Median Psychology Earnings | $4,284 | 16.4% | 90.8% |
| #16 | Lafayette CollegePrivate | Easton, PA | $73,435 Median Psychology Earnings | $12,716 | 31.4% | 87.6% |
| #17 | Clarkson UniversityPrivate | Potsdam, NY | $73,359 Median Psychology Earnings | $21,335 | 77.4% | 74.9% |
| #18 | Williams CollegePrivate | Williamstown, MA | $72,891 Median Psychology Earnings | -$2,610 | 8.3% | 93.6% |
| #19 | Misericordia UniversityPrivate | Dallas, PA | $72,572 Median Psychology Earnings | $36,759 | 70.9% | 71.7% |
| #20 | Dallas, TX | $72,136 Median Psychology Earnings | $23,544 | 63.3% | 84.3% |
