Best Psychology Colleges in the United States (2026)
Updated
This page ranks 1057 Psychology programs in the United States by the median earnings of Psychology graduates four years after completing. Dartmouth College leads the list with median earnings of $99,344 after completing.
Across the 1002 schools with a reported completion median, median earnings range from $99,344 to $17,624, with a median of $49,368.
The list includes 450 public and 607 private nonprofit institutions. Trinity International University-Illinois posts the lowest average net price at $2,835, while Princeton University reports the highest six-year completion rate at 98%.
University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Psychology Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dartmouth College · Hanover, NH | $99,344 | $29,519 | $41 | 5.4% |
| Dartmouth College reports median earnings of $99,344 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $41 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Research and Experimental Psychology (71 graduates) | |||||
| 2 | Georgetown University · Washington, DC | $99,007 | $40,815 | $5,064 | 12.9% |
| Georgetown University admits 13% of applicants and its Psychology graduates earn a median of $99,007 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (106 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Psychology, General ($99,007) | |||||
| 3 | Columbia University in the City of New York · New York, NY | $86,946 | $21,590 | $4,570 | 4.0% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 96%, Columbia University in the City of New York posts median earnings of $86,946 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Research and Experimental Psychology (163 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Research and Experimental Psychology ($86,946) | |||||
| 4 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus · Atlanta, GA | $83,012 | $12,116 | $7,666 | 14.1% |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus, a public university in Atlanta, shows median earnings of $83,012 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $12,116. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Research and Experimental Psychology (27 graduates) | |||||
| 5 | Carnegie Mellon University · Pittsburgh, PA | $82,433 | $31,944 | $9,097 | 11.7% |
| Carnegie Mellon University ranks 106th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Psychology graduates earn a median of $82,433 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (33 graduates) | |||||
| 6 | Cornell University · Ithaca, NY | $78,049 | $28,690 | $1,776 | 8.8% |
| Cornell University reports an average net price of $1,776 for families earning under $30,000, alongside median earnings of $78,049 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (80 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Psychology, General ($78,049) | |||||
| 7 | Washington University in St Louis · St. Louis, MO | $75,932 | $21,786 | $1,716 | 12.1% |
| Washington University in St Louis admits 12% of applicants and graduates 94% of its students within six years, while its Psychology graduates earn a median of $75,932 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Research and Experimental Psychology (189 graduates), Psychology, General (8 graduates) | |||||
| 8 | Santa Clara University · Santa Clara, CA | $75,742 | $50,062 | $22,985 | 48.0% |
| Santa Clara University ranks 8th on this list, with median earnings of $75,742 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $50,062. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (122 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Psychology, General ($75,742) | |||||
| 9 | Virginia Military Institute · Lexington, VA | $75,059 | $17,113 | $12,697 | 71.3% |
| Virginia Military Institute, a public university in Lexington, reports a six-year completion rate of 76% and median earnings of $75,059 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (39 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Psychology, General ($75,059) | |||||
| 10 | Lehigh University · Bethlehem, PA | $74,939 | $36,931 | $16,917 | 25.9% |
| Lehigh University ranks 143rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Psychology graduates earn a median of $74,939 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (63 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Psychology, General ($74,939) | |||||
| 11 | University of San Diego · San Diego, CA | $74,178 | $30,365 | $15,586 | 52.4% |
| University of San Diego admits 52% of applicants and reports an average net price of $15,586 for families earning under $30,000, while its Psychology graduates earn a median of $74,178 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (123 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Psychology, General ($74,178) | |||||
| 12 | College of the Holy Cross · Worcester, MA | $74,095 | $38,782 | $14,343 | 17.6% |
| College of the Holy Cross posts a six-year completion rate of 87% and median earnings of $74,095 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (132 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Psychology, General ($74,095) | |||||
| 13 | George Washington University · Washington, DC | $73,823 | $36,586 | $17,440 | 47.1% |
| George Washington University reports $73,823 in median earnings for its Psychology graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $36,586. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Research and Experimental Psychology (154 graduates), Psychology, General (43 graduates) | |||||
| 14 | Boston College · Chestnut Hill, MA | $73,453 | $41,704 | $4,284 | 16.4% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 91%, Boston College ranks 14th on this list and posts median earnings of $73,453 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (138 graduates), Psychology, General (116 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology ($76,328), Psychology, General ($70,033) | |||||
| 15 | Lafayette College · Easton, PA | $73,435 | $34,433 | $12,716 | 31.5% |
| Lafayette College admits 31% of applicants and its Psychology graduates earn a median of $73,435 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (66 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Psychology, General ($73,435) | |||||
| 16 | Clarkson University · Potsdam, NY | $73,359 | $30,305 | $21,335 | 77.4% |
| Clarkson University ranks 654th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Psychology graduates earn a median of $73,359 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (16 graduates) | |||||
| 17 | Williams College · Williamstown, MA | $72,891 | $17,716 | -$2,610* | 8.3% |
| Williams College reports an average net price of $17,716 and median earnings of $72,891 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (64 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Psychology, General ($72,891) | |||||
| 18 | Misericordia University · Dallas, PA | $72,572 | $37,485 | $36,759 | 70.9% |
| Ranking 18th on this list, Misericordia University shows a six-year completion rate of 72% and median earnings of $72,572 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (14 graduates) | |||||
| 19 | Southern Methodist University · Dallas, TX | $72,136 | $40,892 | $23,544 | 63.4% |
| Southern Methodist University admits 63% of applicants and its Psychology graduates earn a median of $72,136 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (103 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Psychology, General ($72,136) | |||||
| 20 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $70,461 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
| University of Southern California ranks 92nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with median earnings of $70,461 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (183 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Psychology, General ($70,461) | |||||
| 21 | Fairfield University · Fairfield, CT | $70,211 | $48,095 | $33,302 | 33.3% |
| With an average net price of $48,095, Fairfield University ranks 21st on this list and reports median earnings of $70,211 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (69 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Psychology, General ($70,211) | |||||
| 22 | Harvard University · Cambridge, MA | $70,167 | $19,066 | $8,697 | 3.7% |
| Harvard University graduates 98% of its students within six years, and its Psychology graduates earn a median of $70,167 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Research and Experimental Psychology (66 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Research and Experimental Psychology ($70,167) | |||||
| 23 | University of Chicago · Chicago, IL | $70,087 | $14,860 | -$1,264* | 4.5% |
| University of Chicago reports an average net price of $14,860 and median earnings of $70,087 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Research and Experimental Psychology (105 graduates), Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (35 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Research and Experimental Psychology ($73,483) | |||||
| 24 | Elon University · Elon, NC | $69,856 | $41,555 | $26,523 | 66.4% |
| Ranking 24th on this list, Elon University shows a six-year completion rate of 84% and median earnings of $69,856 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (111 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Psychology, General ($69,856) | |||||
| 25 | University of Notre Dame · Notre Dame, IN | $69,793 | $26,780 | $7,244 | 11.3% |
| University of Notre Dame reports median earnings of $69,793 for its Psychology graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $7,244 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Psychology, General (97 graduates) | |||||
* Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses.
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Psychology graduates four years after completing, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. The figure reflects federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled after completing. For 77 of the 1057 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The figures cited on this page cover the 1002 schools with a reported completion median. Dartmouth College leads Georgetown University by just $337, and the spread from top to bottom reaches $81,720.
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